On October 10, 2024, UNICEF released a groundbreaking report indicating that over 370 million girls and young women worldwide have experienced rape or sexual assault before the age of 18. This report marks the first global estimate of sexual violence against children, coinciding with the International Day of the Girl on October 11.
The data reveals that one in eight girls is affected by this type of violence. When including other forms of indirect sexual violence, such as online abuse or verbal harassment, the number of affected girls and young women rises to 650 million, equating to one in five girls globally.
Conditions worsen for girls in fragile environments, such as those living in weak institutions, under the protection of UN peacekeeping forces, or among many refugees fleeing violence and insecurity. In these cases, the prevalence of childhood rape and sexual assault exceeds 25%.
The report also highlights that boys and young men are victims of sexual violence, with estimates suggesting that between 240 to 310 million boys—approximately one in eleven—have faced rape or sexual violence during childhood. Most incidents occur during adolescence, particularly between the ages of 14 and 17.
Sexual violence against children is pervasive across geographical, cultural, and economic boundaries. The Sub-Saharan Africa region has the highest number of victims, with 79 million girls and women affected, followed by East and Southeast Asia with 75 million, Central and South Asia with 73 million, and Europe and North America with 68 million.
The data was gathered from surveys conducted in 120 countries and regions between 2010 and 2022. However, there are gaps in the data, particularly regarding boys' experiences and non-physical forms of sexual violence.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated, 'Sexual violence against children is a stain on our moral conscience.' She emphasized that it causes deep and lasting trauma, often inflicted by someone the child knows and trusts, in places where they should feel safe. Survivors frequently carry this trauma into adulthood.
Wars and socio-economic crises create an environment that exacerbates assaults on girls, with Russell noting, 'The horrific sexual violence in conflict areas, where rape and gender-based violence are often used as weapons of war.'