Peer-reviewed article
Global Prevalence of Sexual Violence Against Children
Antonio Piolanti, Iason E. Schmid, Fabian J. Fiderer, Catherine L. Ward, Heidi Stöckl et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the global prevalence of sexual violence against children using data from 165 national population-based studies covering 958,182 children across 80 countries. Lifetime sexual harassment affected 11.4% of children, contact sexual violence 8.7%, and completed forced sexual intercourse 6.1%, with girls experiencing higher rates than boys. The review found considerable variation across regions and countries, with older children, lower-income countries, and school-based surveys associated with higher reporting rates. The authors emphasize the need for better data collection globally, particularly in underresearched regions and among boys.
Key points
- Lifetime sexual harassment was most prevalent at 11.4%, followed by contact sexual violence at 8.7% and completed forced sexual intercourse at 6.1%
- Girls reported higher lifetime rates of forced sexual intercourse (6.8%) compared to boys (3.3%)
- Past-year forced sexual intercourse affected 1.3% of children, with girls at 2.3% and boys at 0.6%
- Considerable variation in prevalence was found across regions and countries
- School-based surveys, older child age, and lower national income levels were associated with higher reporting rates in exploratory analyses
Limitations
The review relies on existing population-based studies which may have varying methodologies and definitions of sexual violence; significant gaps in data collection exist for boys and many regions globally, limiting the completeness of the prevalence estimates.
Abstract
Importance: Sexual violence against children is a global concern, yet worldwide figures of its prevalence are scant. Objective: To estimate the global prevalence of sexual violence against children using national-level population-based studies. Data Sources: We searched the PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ERIC, and APA PsycArticles databases from their respective inceptions to March 2022. Searches were updated through April 2024. Study Selection: Reports were included if (1) they were national-level population-based studies, (2) they reported lifetime or past-year prevalence data on any form of sexual violence against children (mean age ≤19 years), and (3) the data were based on children's self-reports of sexual violence perpetrated by anyone. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Data extraction included study and participant characteristics, prevalence rates, and types of sexual violence. Outcomes were pooled using a random-effects model. Exploratory subgroup analyses were performed with categorical moderators. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes included lifetime and past-year prevalence of forced sexual intercourse, contact sexual violence, and sexual harassment. Results: We identified 165 studies that included 958 182 children from 80 countries, with the majority of data focusing on girls (58.2%). The sample sizes of the studies ranged from 330 to 132 948; the mean age ranged from 10.5 to 19.4 years. Lifetime sexual harassment was the most prevalent outcome, with a pooled rate of 11.4% (95% CI, 8.5%-15.1%), followed by any contact sexual violence, with a rate of 8.7% (95% CI, 4.7%-15.5%). Furthermore, 6.1% (95% CI, 5.1%-7.3%) of children reported experiencing completed forced sexual intercourse in their lifetime, and 1.3% (95% CI, 1.0%-1.7%) reported experiencing it in the preceding year. Rates of lifetime completed forced sexual intercourse were higher among girls (6.8% [95% CI, 6.1%-7.6%]) compared with boys (3.3% [95% CI, 2.5%-4.3%]), similar to past-year violence (2.3% [95% CI 1.9%-2.7%] for girls and 0.6% [95% CI 0.4%-0.9%] for boys). We found considerable variation across regions and countries in the reported prevalence of sexual violence. Older age of children, lower national income levels, and the use of school-based surveys were associated with higher rates of sexual violence reporting in some exploratory analyses. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis highlight the burden of sexual violence against children worldwide based on current available evidence. There is a pressing need to enhance data collection efforts globally, especially in underresearched regions and for boys. Study Registration: PROSPERO CRD42022327090.