The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) released a report on October 10, 2024, revealing that one in eight girls worldwide is affected by rape or sexual assault before the age of 18, totaling approximately 370 million girls globally.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated, "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." The report also noted that when considering 'non-contact' forms of sexual violence, such as online and verbal abuse, the number of affected girls rises to 650 million, or one in five.
The report highlights that the issue transcends geographic, economic, and cultural boundaries, with Sub-Saharan Africa having the highest number of victims at 79 million, followed by 75 million in East and Southeast Asia, and 68 million in Europe and North America. The study indicates that sexual violence is particularly prevalent in regions with fragile security.
Boys are also victims of sexual violence, with UNICEF estimating that between 240 million to 310 million boys experience rape or sexual assault during their childhood, equating to one in 11.
This comprehensive report utilized data from 120 countries, collected between 2010 and 2022, underscoring the urgent need for global action to combat this pervasive issue.