Calls to end sexual violence against children dominate Girl Child's day

As Kenya joined the rest of the world in celebrating this year’s International Day of the Girl Child, there is an urgent need for intensified global action to combat childhood sexual violence and build a safer future for children worldwide.

A report by UNICEF indicates that persistent data gaps, particularly on boys’ experiences and non-contact forms of sexual violence, highlight the need for increased investment in data collection to capture the full scale of sexual violence against children.

According to the report, more than 370 million girls and women alive today or 1 in 8 experienced rape or sexual assault before the age of 18. 

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The first-ever global and regional estimates on sexual violence against children published ahead of the International Day of the Girl – reveal the scale of the violation worldwide, especially for adolescent girls, often with lifelong implications.  

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said sexual violence against children is pervasive, cutting across geographical, cultural, and economic boundaries.

According to her, when ‘non-contact’ forms of sexual violence, such as online or verbal abuse, are included, the number of girls and women affected rises to 650 million globally – or 1 in 5, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive prevention and support strategies to address all forms of violence and abuse effectively. 

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

The report shows that Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of victims, with 79 million girls and women affected (22 per cent).

Under the theme of ‘Girls’ vision for the future’, this year’s celebrations come at a critical time when the country estimates that 19,230 teenage girls were reported pregnant in the year leading up to the study (2023), highlighting the ongoing issue of teenage pregnancy and its impact on girls' education.

In Kenya, the 2019 Violence Against Children Survey shows that one in six females (15.6%) experienced childhood sexual violence, with up to 62.6% of them experiencing it multiple times before the age of 18.

Further, up to 19% of 18-24-year-old females who experienced sexual violence before age 18, said perpetrators of the first incident of any sexual violence in childhood were schoolmates.  

"The data paints a grim reality for many girls in Kenya who are experiencing sexual violence, even within their own schools, communities and online. This is unacceptable,” said Shaheen Nilofer, UNICEF Kenya Representative. 

Lilofer said the country must strengthen an integrated child protection system at the community level, including making sure girls can access support such as clinical and psychosocial services, and a safe reporting mechanism.

Most importantly, she said the country must equip girls with the knowledge and skills to stay safe online and offline. 

The report further reveals that in fragile settings such as those with weak institutions, UN peacekeeping forces, or large numbers of refugees fleeing due to political or security crises, girls face an even greater risk, with the prevalence of rape and sexual assault in childhood slightly more than 1 in 4. 

According to the data, most childhood sexual violence occurs during adolescence, with a significant spike between ages 14 and 17.

Studies show that children who experience sexual violence are more likely to suffer repeated abuse. Implementing targeted interventions during adolescence is crucial to breaking this cycle and mitigating the long-term impacts of such trauma. 

Survivors often carry the trauma of sexual violence into adulthood, facing higher risks of sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse, social isolation, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression, as well as challenges in forming healthy relationships.

Evidence shows that the impact is further compounded when children delay disclosing their experiences, sometimes for long periods, or keep the abuse secret altogether. 

Although more girls and women are affected, and their experiences are better documented, boys and men are also impacted, the data show.

An estimated 240 to 310 million boys and men – or around 1 in 11 – have experienced rape or sexual assault during childhood. This estimate rises to between 410 and 530 million when non-contact forms are included.