An Oct. 9 report from UNICEF reveals that over 370 million girls and women worldwide—approximately one in eight—have experienced rape or sexual assault before reaching 18 years old. When considering “non-contact” forms of sexual violence, such as online harassment or verbal abuse, this figure jumps to 650 million, or one in five. The findings come from what UNICEF describes as the first global survey addressing the prevalence of childhood sexual violence, according to a Retuers report that summarized Unicef’s findings.
The report also highlights that while girls and women are the most affected, a significant number of boys and men—between 240 and 310 million, or roughly one in 11—have faced similar abuse during childhood. UNICEF emphasized that the true scope of this violation of human rights has been challenging to determine due to societal stigma, difficulties in measuring the issue, and insufficient data collection efforts.
These revelations precede the first Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, scheduled to take place in Colombia next month. UNICEF’s findings underscore the urgent need for a global response that includes strengthening legal frameworks and empowering children to recognize and report instances of sexual violence.
Sexual violence, according to UNICEF, transcends geographic, cultural, and economic boundaries, but the regions most affected show striking disparities. Sub-Saharan Africa reports the highest number of survivors, with 79 million girls and women affected, representing 22% of the population in the area. Eastern and South-Eastern Asia follow with 75 million survivors, making up 8% of the population. In Central and Southern Asia, approximately 73 million girls and women, or 9%, have been affected, while in Europe and Northern America, 68 million, or 14%, have experienced such violence. Latin America and the Caribbean report 45 million affected, or 18%, while Northern Africa and Western Asia account for 29 million, or 15%. Oceania presents the highest rate by percentage, with 34% of girls and women affected, totaling 6 million.
The report also found that in fragile settings—areas with weak institutions, U.N. peacekeeping operations, or significant refugee populations—the risk increases to one in four.
Catherine Russell, UNICEF’s Executive Director, described sexual violence against children as “a stain on our moral conscience.” She noted that such abuse often occurs at the hands of someone the child knows and in settings where they should feel safe, resulting in profound and long-lasting trauma.
The data reveals that most cases of childhood sexual violence take place during adolescence, particularly between the ages of 14 and 17. Survivors often face increased risks of sexually transmitted infections, substance abuse, and mental health problems. Delays in disclosing the abuse or choosing not to report it further exacerbate these impacts.
UNICEF stressed the need for more investment in data collection to fully understand the issue, especially regarding the experiences of boys, as there are still significant gaps in the data. The estimates for girls and women’s experiences were derived from nationally representative surveys conducted across 120 countries between 2010 and 2022. The data on boys and men were gathered from a broader range of sources, using indirect estimation methods where needed.