Sexual violence is a by-product of conflict commonly seen, but poorly addressed, in humanitarian emergencies. This paper reviews the current situation regarding sexual violence in humanitarian emergencies and provides an overview of this global health problem whilst describing efforts to address it through prevention and response activities. Improvements are needed in the short-term to meet the needs of survivors of sexual violence; in collecting data related to sexual violence in humanitarian emergencies; and to address the widespread tolerance for high rates of sexual violence in humanitarian settings.