Approximately one out of every five females and one out of every seven males globally encountered sexual abuse before reaching the age of 18, according to a recent comprehensive analysis.
The rates of sexual violence experienced during childhood were found to be highest among women in South Asia and among men in sub-Saharan Africa, yet no region remains untouched by this “widespread problem affecting health and human rights,” as stated in the research released on Thursday.
The Lancet medical journal.
Individuals who experience sexual assault during their formative years face an increased likelihood of encountering various health problems down the line. These can encompass mental health disorders like depression and anxiety, tendencies towards substance misuse, acquisition of STIs, along with persistent ailments such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
This study, encompassing information from 204 nations, stands as one of the most thorough evaluations up until now regarding child sexual abuse.
The researchers described childhood sexual violence as being forcibly or coercively subjected to unwanted sex or sexual contact – including acts like fondling or other forms of sexual touching – prior to turning 18 years old.
They did not account for online abuse or exploitation, nor did they examine the connection between the victim and the perpetrator.
In total, the study revealed that approximately 18.9 percent of females and 14.8 percent of males experienced sexual violence before turning 18 years old.
“Child sexual abuse is a pervasive problem affecting human rights and public health globally, and it’s evident that we haven’t been successful in eliminating this issue,” stated Dr Emmanuela Gakidou, a lead researcher of the study and a professor at the US-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).
Across Europe, the incidence of child sexual abuse among females varied from 6.9 percent in Montenegro to 29.7 percent in the Netherlands.
The data indicates that for men, the percentage ranges from 9.7% in Belgium to 21% in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
However, researchers stated that the real numbers might be significantly greater since child sexual abuse tends to be vastly underreported.
Jaya Dantas, a professor of international health at Curtin University in Australia who wasn’t part of the research team, described the results as “disturbing” in her statement.
She requested “resources and financing to build healthcare systems that enable monitoring in every nation.”
The research additionally highlights the timeframe during which children might face an increased risk.
For instance, amongst females aged 25 or under who encountered sexual violence during their childhood, 41.6 percent were subjected to such abuse before reaching the age of 16.
The study revealed that 7.7 were victims of such incidents before they reached the age of 12.
“The percentage of survivors experiencing sexual abuse at such a tender age is profoundly alarming, and we require immediate measures from every nation to enhance regulations, policies, and how specialists address this issue,” stated Gakidou.
Significantly, the research examined information spanning from 1990 to 2023 and discovered minimal variations in the incidence of sexual violence throughout these years.
However, the differences observed at the regional and national scales suggest “that there are risk and protective elements associated with sexual violence,” stated María Pilar Matud Aznar, a professor from the University of La Laguna in Spain, who did not participate in the research.
Grasping these elements, as per her statement, might assist individuals in “crafting initiatives and regulations aimed at preventing and eliminating such acts of violence”.