FAST FACTS: Violence against children widespread, affecting millions globally

NEW YORK, 4 November 2024 —As world leaders, civil society, advocates, survivors, and young people gather this week for the inaugural Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in Bogotá, Colombia, UNICEF is calling for urgent action to combat violence that devastates the lives of millions of children worldwide.

Violence against children – whether physical, emotional, or sexual – is a global crisis happening in homes, schools, communities, and online. Its impacts are severe, leading to injuries, sexually transmitted infections, mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, and death. Early exposure can cause toxic stress, affecting brain development, and lead to aggression, substance abuse, and criminal behaviour. Children who experience violence are also more likely to be affected by cycles of trauma and violence as adults, impacting entire communities.

“We are the first generation to fully grasp the prevalence, causes, and costs of violence against children – and the first to know the solutions that work," said UNICEF Director of Child Protection Sheema SenGupta. “By investing in prevention, education, and support services, we can break the cycle of violence and build a world where children are safe.”

According to the latest available global data:

• Every 4 minutes, somewhere in the world, a child is killed by an act of violence.
• About 90 million children alive today have experienced sexual violence.
• 650 million girls and women (1 in 5) alive today were subjected to sexual violence as children, including over 370 million (1 in 8) who experienced rape or sexual assault.
• In fragile settings, girls face an even greater risk, with the prevalence of rape and sexual assault in childhood slightly more than 1 in 4.
• Nearly 50 million adolescent girls aged 15-19 (1 in 6) have been victims of physical or sexual violence by their husbands or partners in the past year.
• 410 to 530 million boys and men (around 1 in 7) experienced sexual violence in childhood, including 240 to 310 million (around 1 in 11) who were raped or sexually assaulted.
• 1.6 billion children (2 in 3) regularly face violent punishment at home; more than two thirds are subjected to both physical punishment and psychological aggression.
• Violence takes the lives of about 130,000 children and adolescents under 20 each year on average.
• Boys face a higher risk of dying from violence: 3 out of every 4 children and adolescents killed by violence were boys.
• The risk of dying from violence rises sharply in late adolescence: 7 in 10 children who died from violence were between the ages of 15 and 19, most of them boys.
• Close to 550 million children (around 1 in 4) live with mothers who are victims of intimate partner violence.

The ministerial conference marks a pivotal opportunity to intensify efforts to end violence and build a future where every child grows up safe. UNICEF is calling for strong political leadership, evidence-based policies and interventions, and adequate finance, urging action in three key areas: 1) universal access to parenting support programmes that promote nurturing care; 2) universal provision of safe and enabling school environments; and 3) targeted response and support services for all children who need them.

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Notes for editors:

Download photos here.

View UNICEF’s data on violence against children here.

Read about UNICEF’s response to prevent violence against children here.