Quick summary: A landmark global study covering 147 countries finds that 20.1% of women and 16.8% of men experienced sexual violence before age 18, with 133.5 million children affected in 2024 alone. These figures point to a substantial, ongoing burden on mental health and long term wellbeing, including higher risks of depression, substance use and poor life outcomes into adulthood. The findings strengthen the case for governments and health systems to invest in standardised data collection, primary prevention programmes and stronger child protection policy, particularly in under researched regions and among adolescents, who face the highest risk.
Millions of children around the world are living with the hidden aftermath of sexual violence, according to the largest global study of its kind. Researchers found that one in five women and around one in six men experienced some form of sexual violence before they turned 18.
The study, published in Nature Human Behaviour, drew on data from 1,412 studies across 147 countries, covering responses from more than seven million people. It is the most comprehensive attempt yet to measure the true scale of childhood sexual violence worldwide.
Led by an international team including researchers from the University of Edinburgh and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the study used a statistical approach known as Bayesian hierarchical modelling. This allowed the team to account for differences in how surveys defined and measured sexual violence, producing more reliable comparisons between countries and regions.
Globally, 20.1 per cent of women and 16.8 per cent of men reported experiencing at least one form of sexual violence as children. When looking specifically at contact sexual violence, including rape and sexual assault, the figures were 12.4 per cent for women and 10.0 per cent for men.
The research also produced estimates for how many children are affected right now. In 2024 alone, an estimated 72.6 million girls and 60.9 million boys experienced some form of sexual violence, with 43.3 million girls and 34.8 million boys subjected to rape or sexual assault.
Prevalence varied considerably by region. Oceania recorded the highest rates among women, while Sub Saharan Africa had the highest rates among men. Central and Southern Asia reported the lowest figures overall, although the authors caution that under reporting is likely to affect these estimates, particularly in places where stigma around sexual violence remains strong.
The study also found that risk increases sharply with age. Teenagers aged 14 to 17 faced the highest past year prevalence of both contact and overall sexual violence, more than double the rate seen among children under ten.
Interestingly, the gap between how often boys and girls experience sexual violence was narrower than previous research has suggested, particularly across much of Asia and in parts of Southern Europe and South America. The authors say more research is needed to understand why these regional patterns exist, including whether disclosure and cultural attitudes towards abuse play a role.
The findings add fresh urgency to global efforts under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to eliminate violence against children. The researchers point to programmes such as parenting support, teacher training and adolescent development initiatives as promising ways to reduce harm, while stressing that standardised data collection is still badly needed in many parts of the world.
For a study of this scale, the message is stark. Childhood sexual violence remains a pervasive global public health issue, and the researchers hope their findings will help direct resources and policy towards the regions and age groups where children are most at risk.
