Sexual Violence Against Women and Children: A Global Health Crisis

Sexual violence against women and children has emerged as one of the most severe and persistent global health challenges of the modern era. While often discussed in the context of crime or human rights, mounting evidence shows that sexual violence drives long-term physical illness, mental health disorders, disability, and premature death. Its effects ripple across families, health systems, and economies, making it a public health crisis that demands urgent and coordinated global action.

Why Sexual Violence Is a Health Issue

For decades, sexual violence was primarily framed as a legal or moral issue. However, public health research now demonstrates that sexual violence against women and children is a powerful determinant of health across the life course. The World Health Organization defines sexual violence as any sexual act committed without consent, including rape, assault, exploitation, and coercion.

Globally, nearly one in three women experiences physical or sexual violence in her lifetime, most often at the hands of an intimate partner. Children who experience sexual abuse frequently suffer consequences that persist into adulthood, including chronic disease, mental illness, and reduced life expectancy. This recognition has reshaped how health systems and policymakers evaluate risk and allocate resources.

New Data Elevates the Threat

Recent findings from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study have significantly altered how violence is ranked among global health risks. Sexual violence against women and children now appears among the leading contributors to disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), a metric that combines years lost to early death with years lived with disability.

Among women aged 15 to 49, intimate partner violence ranks among the top global risk factors for loss of healthy life, exceeding several traditional health risks. Childhood sexual violence similarly ranks high due to its lasting physical and psychological effects.

This health burden intersects with other major health challenges, including infectious diseases and chronic conditions. GSN has previously examined these intersections in coverage of hepatitis B vaccine guidance and rising global diabetes cases, highlighting how trauma compounds existing health risks.

Why Sexual Violence Persists

Despite decades of awareness campaigns, sexual violence against women and children remains widespread. One major factor is underreporting. Survivors often fear stigma, retaliation, or disbelief, particularly in societies where cultural norms blame victims or normalize abuse.

Health systems also remain inadequately prepared. Many facilities lack trained staff, survivor-centered protocols, and integrated mental health services. In conflict zones and humanitarian crises, sexual violence is often weaponized, with women and children facing heightened vulnerability due to displacement and breakdown of social protection systems.

Experts further point to chronic underfunding of prevention programs. While treatment is essential, evidence shows that education, community engagement, and early intervention are among the most effective tools for reducing violence over time.

Global and Local Impact

The impact of sexual violence extends far beyond individual survivors. Health systems face rising demand for trauma care and mental health services, while economies absorb the costs of lost productivity and long-term disability. In low- and middle-income countries, these effects compound existing pressures from infectious and chronic diseases.

Children who experience sexual violence face heightened risks of educational disruption, social exclusion, and repeated trauma later in life, reinforcing cycles of poverty and vulnerability.

Conclusion

Sexual violence against women and children is a top global health threat that demands urgent, sustained action. Addressing it requires survivor-centered healthcare, prevention-focused education, legal accountability, and cultural change. As global data makes clear, reducing sexual violence is not only a moral obligation but a public health necessity essential to building healthier and safer societies.

External Sources:
World Health Organization – Violence Against Women
UNICEF – Violence Prevention and Child Protection