MORE than 370 million girls and women alive today – or 1 in 8 – experienced rape or sexual assault before the age of 18, according to new UNICEF report.
The first-ever global and regional estimates on sexual violence against children – published ahead of the International Day of the Girl – revealed the scale of the violation worldwide, especially for adolescent girls, often with lifelong implications.
When ‘non-contact’ forms of sexual violence, such as online or verbal abuse are included, the number of girls and women affected rises to 650 million globally (or 1 in 5), underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive prevention and support strategies to effectively address all forms of violence and abuse.
“Sexual violence against children is a stain on our moral conscience. It inflicts deep and lasting trauma, often by someone the child knows and trusts, in places where they should feel safe,” said UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell.
Sexual violence against children is pervasive, cutting across geographical, cultural, and economic boundaries, the data show.
Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of victims, with 79 million girls and women affected (22%), followed by 75 million in East and Southeast Asia (8%), 73 million in Central and South Asia (9%), 68 million in Europe and North America (14%), 45 million in Latin America and the Caribbean (18%), 29 million in North Africa and West Asia (15%), and 6 million in Oceania (34%).
In fragile settings such as those with weak institutions, UN peacekeeping forces, or large numbers of refugees fleeing due to political or security crises, girls face an even greater risk, with the prevalence of rape and sexual assault in childhood slightly more than 1 in 4.
“Children in fragile settings are especially vulnerable to sexual violence,” said Russell.
“We are witnessing horrific sexual violence in conflict zones, where rape and gender-based violence are often used as weapons of war.”
According to the data, most childhood sexual violence occurs during adolescence, with a significant spike between ages 14 and 17.
Studies show that children who experience sexual violence are more likely to suffer repeated abuse. Implementing targeted interventions during adolescence is crucial to breaking this cycle and mitigating the long-term impacts of such trauma.
Survivors often carry the trauma of sexual violence into adulthood, facing higher risks of sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse, social isolation, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression, as well as challenges in forming healthy relationships.
Evidence further indicated that the impact is further compounded when children delay disclosing their experiences, sometimes for long periods, or keep the abuse secret altogether.
Although more girls and women are affected, and their experiences are better documented, boys and men are also impacted, the data show.
According to the report, an estimated 240 to 310 million boys and men – or around 1 in 11 – have experienced rape or sexual assault during childhood. This estimate rises to between 410 and 530 million when non-contact forms are included.
Persistent data gaps, particularly on boys’ experiences and non-contact forms of sexual violence, highlight the need for increased investment in data collection to capture the full scale of sexual violence against children. – Oct 10, 2024
Main image: The Star
