How Common is Child Sexual Abuse?

Disclaimer: The rate of child abuse varies due to location, scope of study, underreporting, and inability to report. It is important to remember that child abuse is often underreported, 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 have lasting negative effects on victims, both physically and mentally. Children who have been abused are about four times more likely to develop symptoms of substance abuse or addiction, four times more likely to experience PTSD as adults, and three 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).

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