Femicide: Sudanese women’s stories of rape and oppression
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1285/i24212113v12n2/1p194-227Keywords:
Femicide, Sudan, sexual violence, Sudanese women, resistance, white supremacy, Displacement, collective accountabilityAbstract
We are three Muslim/ Hijabi/ Arab/ female/ community psychologists who came together to disrupt the silence amidst one of the worst humanitarian crises in contemporary history! We used a collective narrative inquiry approach, to amplify, document and acknowledge the voices of Sudanese women, who have taught us what resistance and resilience mean amidst unimaginable terrors. We aim to unsettle the geopolitical indifference that allows this war, and the violence against women to continue with impunity. We argue that the targeted sexual violence against women in Sudan, should be understood not only as a weapon of war, but as clear acts of femicide: deliberate and clear intent to harm Sudanese women because of their gender and ethnic identity. We further examine how historical and ongoing imperialism and colonization shape the global response to the crisis exposing inherent racism and white supremacy. This paper centers the lived realities of Sudanese women, documenting their stories as acts of testimony, sharing truth, and defiance against erasure. Despite immense loss and global neglect, Sudanese women continue to find strength through faith, community, and care for others. Their collective healing practices and solidarity networks embody a deeply communal and spiritual resilience that challenges western notions of recovery. We call for critical reflection and collective accountability. Bearing witness is an act of resistance; to speak up is a moral obligation. The stories shared here invite readers to listen, confront their own silence, and stand in solidarity with Sudanese women as they reclaim their narrative, dignity, and future.
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