A Lancet study found that 13% of boys and over 30% of girls in India have suffered sexual violence before the age of 18, indicating a widespread child safety concern

Regarding the Lancet Report on Child Sexual Violence:

What is being studied?

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington led the worldwide meta-analysis that was published in The Lancet and covered more than 200 nations between 1990 and 2023.

It uses uniform parameters for the first time to estimate the age-standardized prevalence of child sexual abuse worldwide.

Important Results:

• In India, 13% of boys and 30.8% of girls were sexually abused before the age of 18.
• South Asia has the highest prevalence among girls.
• Global Average (2023): 14.8% of men and 18.9% of women reported having been sexually abused as children.
• 70% of victims experienced abuse for the first time before turning 18.

Effects of Sexual Abuse of Children:

• causes mental health conditions including PTSD, anxiety, and depression that last a lifetime.
• impacts future socioeconomic involvement, education, and institutional trust.
• impacts the wellness of families and communities by causing a cycle of intergenerational trauma.
• draws attention to structural shortcomings in reporting, prevention, and survivor rehabilitation.