One In Eight Girls Face Sexual Assault Before Turning 18: UNICEF Report

Over 370 million women and girls, which means 1 in 8 globally have faced sexual violence, including rape and assault, before the age of 18, revealed a report released by UNICEF ahead of the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11.

It is the first-ever comprehensive global and regional data on childhood sexual violence.

As per the report, if “non-contact” forms of abuse like online harassment or verbal assault are included the number rises to 650 million, or 1 in 5.

“Sexual violence against children is a stain on our moral conscience,” stated UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “It inflicts deep and lasting trauma, often by someone the child knows and trusts, in places where they should feel safe.”

The report points at Sub-Saharan Africa as the region with the highest number of victims, accounting for 79 million affected women and girls. Other affected regions include Eastern and South-Eastern Asia (75 million), Central and Southern Asia (73 million), Europe and Northern America (68 million), and Latin America and the Caribbean (45 million).

The report states that most sexual violence against children occurs during adolescence, with a significant rise between ages 14 and 17.

The report also mentions that boys are similarly affected. Between 240 and 310 million boys and men have experienced sexual violence during childhood, with the number rising to 530 million when non-contact forms of abuse are included.