Marta Ferragut Ortiz-Tallo

A study published in Nature estimates that more than 10 million children in countries across East and Southern Africa and Southeast Asia have experienced at least one form of online sexual exploitation and abuse, including harassment, the sharing of images without consent, and blackmail. This means that one in six children who use the internet is affected. The analysis is based on data from nearly 12,000 children aged 12 to 17 in 12 countries across Africa and Asia collected between 2020 and 2021, and warns that the actual number could be higher, as many of these incidents went unreported. When they did report incidents, minors primarily turned to informal channels, especially friends, rather than formal reporting mechanisms such as the police or helplines.

Around 840 million women worldwide — nearly one in three — have been victims of physical, psychological or sexual violence by their partner or have suffered sexual violence outside of their relationship, a figure that has barely changed since 2000. This is one of the conclusions of a report led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that analyses data from 168 countries between 2000 and 2023. For the first time, the study includes estimates of sexual violence outside of intimate relationships: 263 million women have suffered this type of assault since the age of 15, a figure that, according to experts, is well below the actual number.

Intimate partner violence is associated with an increased risk of depression and miscarriage, according to a systematic review of the scientific literature published since 1970. Sexual abuse in childhood is associated with an increased risk of alcohol use disorder and self-harm, says the study published in Nature Medicine. According to its authors, this analysis of 229 previous studies reveals that intimate partner violence and childhood sexual abuse have a more extensive impact on health than previously described.