Archive · 24 Sep 2026
UNICEF Finds One in Eight Girls Face Childhood Sexual Assault
A new UNICEF report says many girls experience sexual violence before they become adults.
More than 370 million girls and women were estimated to have faced rape or sexual assault during childhood.
A larger group, about 650 million, experienced some form of childhood sexual violence.
This larger category includes both physical abuse and non-contact abuse.
Recent alleged attacks in Bihar and Delhi show that the problem affects communities in India too.
UNICEF said millions of children also face sexual exploitation or abuse online.
UN Women reported that many countries do not have specific laws against cyber harassment or cyberstalking.
These figures show why children need stronger protection both in person and on the internet.
UNICEF estimates that more than 370 million girls and women experienced rape or sexual assault before age 18.
Overall, about 650 million girls and women—one in five—experienced sexual violence during childhood.
Recent alleged sexual-violence cases in Bihar and Delhi have renewed concerns about women's and girls' safety.
Two Asian regions together account for 40% of the estimated global total of childhood contact sexual violence cases.
UNICEF also reported widespread online abuse, while UN Women said 44% of women and girls live without specific cyber-harassment protections.
- Who
- Girls and women affected by childhood sexual violence, children facing online exploitation or abuse, and people involved in recent alleged cases in Bihar and Delhi.
- What
- UNICEF reported global estimates of childhood sexual violence, alongside recent alleged sexual-assault cases in India.
- When
- The global estimates were released in 2024; the cited online-abuse research used data from 2020–21 and 2024–25, while the Indian incidents occurred recently, including September 19.
- Where
- The incidents were reported in Jamui and Khagaria in Bihar and near Kalkaji Mandir in Delhi; the estimates cover countries worldwide.
- Why
- The information highlights the scale of childhood sexual violence and gaps in protection, including online safeguards.
- Childhood sexual violence
- About 650 million girls and women alive today, or one in five, experienced sexual violence during childhood.
- Rape or sexual assault
- More than 370 million, or one in eight, experienced rape or sexual assault before age 18.
- Asian regions
- Eastern and South-Eastern Asia and Central and Southern Asia together account for 40% of the global total of childhood contact sexual violence cases.
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- An estimated 79 million girls and women experienced contact sexual violence before age 18.
- Online exploitation
- A UNICEF study found that 20 million internet-using children aged 12–17 experienced online sexual exploitation or abuse.
- Legal protection
- UN Women reported that 1.8 billion women and girls, or 44% globally, live in countries without specific legal protection against cyber harassment or cyberstalking.
- Recent Indian cases
- Police arrested three people in the Jamui case and three men in the Khagaria case; a Delhi case led Lady Shri Ram College for Women to temporarily move classes online.