How Common is Child Sexual Abuse?

Disclaimer: The rate of child abuse ranges due to location, study scope, underreporting, and the inability to report. It is important to remember that child abuse often goes unreported, and the percentages may be much higher than can be measured.

1 in 9 girls and 1 in 20 boys have faced sexual abuse or assault.

82% of all victims of child sexual abuse under 18 are female.

Childhood sexual abuse can cause lasting negative effects both physically and mentally for the victims. Children who have been abused are around 4 times more likely to develop symptoms of drug abuse or addiction and are 4 times more likely to experience PTSD as adults, as well as 3 times more likely to experience major depressive episodes. 

Child sexual abuse is most commonly perpetrated by someone the child knows; less than 7% of sexual abusers are strangers. 59% are found to be acquaintances, and 34% are found to be family members.

In 88% of child sexual abuse cases, the perpetrator is male. 9% are female and 3% are of unknown gender.

Sources:

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network). “Child Sexual Abuse Is a Widespread Problem.” https://www.rainn.org/statistics/children-and-teens#:~:text=Child%20Sexual%20Abuse%20Is%20a%20Widespread%20Problem&text=One%20in%209%20girls%20and,experience%20sexual%20abuse%20or%20assault.&text=82%25%20of%20all%20victims%20under%2018%20are%20female.&text=Females%20ages%2016%2D19%20are,attempted%20rape%2C%20or%20sexual%20assault.

World Health Organization (WHO). “Violence against children.” https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-children#:~:text=Globally%2C%20it%20is%20estimated%20that,the%20past%20year%20(1).