35% Increase in Sexual Assaults Against Women and Girls in Afghanistan Under Taliban Rule :
Reporter: Dina Rahimi
A new research conducted by the Afghanistan Women and Children Strengthen Welfare Organization ( AWCSWO ) Human Rights Organization titled “Justice and Afghanistan Women” reveals a worrying 35% increase in sexual assaults by Taliban members against women and girls in Afghanistan. This research, conducted across 25 provinces (Takhar, Sar-e Pol, Jowzjan, Baghlan, Kunduz, Balkh, Daikundi, Badakhshan, Bamyan, Parwan, Ghor, Farah, Samangan, Faryab, Nangarhar, Kandahar, Maidan Wardak, Kabul, Urozgan, Kapisa, Nimruz, Herat, Paktia, Helmand, and Ghazni), portrays a deep and shocking tragedy.
The research shows that from September 1, 2023, to September 1, 2024, the number of sexual assault cases by Taliban members reached 132, compared to 97 cases in the same period last year, indicating a 35% increase. These figures may represent only the tip of the iceberg, hiding the painful and concealed realities occurring under the shadow of Taliban terror and repression.
This research was conducted through interviews with 1,400 individuals, including victims of assault, their family members, tribal elders, civil activists, local journalists, and protesting women (all interviewed under conditions of anonymity). Additionally, brief questionnaires were used with leaders of protest movements and well-known women’s rights activists, emphasizing the alarming and worrisome increase in sexual assaults by Taliban members against women and girls.
