1 in 8 girls/women raped/sexually assaulted before 18: UNICEF
The United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF) has revealed shocking statistics on global sexual violence against female minors. According to the agency's report, over 370 million girls and women alive today have been raped or sexually assaulted before they turned 18. The number accounts for one in every eight females across the world. When "non-contact" forms of sexual violence such as online or verbal abuse are included, the number rises to a shocking 650 million victims, one in five globally.
Boys and men also significantly affected by sexual violence
The UNICEF report also highlights the prevalence of sexual violence against boys and men. It estimates that between 240 to 310 million males, about one in 11 worldwide, have suffered rape or sexual assault as children. The agency called this widespread human rights violation "overwhelming," and hard to fully comprehend due to stigma, measurement challenges, and limited investment in data collection.
UNICEF calls for global action to combat sexual violence
The report was released ahead of the inaugural Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in Colombia next month. UNICEF noted that Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of sexual violence victims with 79 million girls and women affected. Eastern and South-Eastern Asia follows with 75 million victims. Oceania, despite its smaller population size, had a high percentage of affected individuals at 34%.
'Fragile settings' increase risk of sexual violence
The UNICEF report also found that risks of sexual violence were higher in "fragile settings," like areas with weak institutions, United Nations peacekeeping forces, or large refugee populations. The risk rose to one in four individuals in these settings. It said that most instances of childhood sexual violence occur during adolescence, especially between ages 14 and 17, and those who experience it are more likely to get sexually transmitted diseases, develop substance misuse, and mental health problems.
UNICEF calls for increased investment in data collection
UNICEF stressed that these findings highlight an urgent need for intensified global action. This includes strengthening laws and educating children to recognize and report instances of sexual violence UNICEF has called for greater investment in data collection to fully understand the scale of the problem, noting persistent data gaps especially regarding boys' experiences. The agency based its estimates on nationally representative surveys conducted between 2010 and 2022 in 120 countries and areas.
