Sexual and gender-based violence in Adolescence

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) refers to any harmful act directed at an individual adolescent based on their gender or sex, often rooted in unequal power dynamics. In adolescence (typically ages 10–19), this violence can have significant long-lasting effects on their physical health, mental well-being, education, and future relationships. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable during this period of rapid physical, emotional, and social changes, where they may encounter SGBV from family members, peers, intimate partners, strangers, or online.

Globally, SGBV disproportionately affects girls and young women, but boys and gender-diverse youth also experience it, often in underreported forms. Addressing SGBV requires awareness, prevention, and support systems that empower adolescents while involving families and communities.

Magnitude of sexual and gender-based violence/abuse among adolescents

The scale of gender-based violence (GBV) among adolescents is a stark global public health crisis. Recent data from the WHO (2025) indicates that over the past year, 316 million women, about 11% of women aged 15 or older, experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or non-partner. UNICEF (2025) reports that 650 million girls and women alive today, roughly 1 in 5, were subjected to sexual violence during childhood, including more than 370 million who experienced rape or sexual assault. Additionally, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (2023) estimates that over 1 billion people aged 15 and older experienced sexual assault during childhood, with 608 million girls and women enduring intimate partner violence. UN Women (2025) further highlights that one in three students aged 11–15 worldwide has been bullied at school at least once in the past month, reflecting the pervasive nature of school-related GBV.

Adolescents in low- and middle-income countries, especially those in humanitarian settings like refugee camps, are at heightened risk due to displacement and instability. These vulnerable groups face compounded challenges that increase their exposure to GBV, underscoring the urgent need for targeted interventions and policies. Addressing this crisis requires a comprehensive global response to protect vulnerable populations and prevent gender-based violence at all levels.

Common sexual and gender-based violence/abuses against and among adolescents

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) among adolescents’ manifests in various forms, often in adolescents’ contexts like school, home, online spaces, or early relationships. Below, each common type of SGBV in adolescence:

1. Physical violence; involves intentional acts causing bodily harm, such as slapping, choking, burning, beating, or using weapons, typically perpetrated by family members, peers, intimate partners, or authority figures. Among adolescents, this often appears as corporal punishment in homes or schools, peer fights, or bullying that escalates to physical assaults, reinforcing power imbalances based on gender norms where boys may be socialized to endure it as “toughening up” and girls as discipline.
2. Sexual violence and assault; encompasses coercive sexual acts without consent, including defilement/rape, unwanted touching, forced penetration, or sexual exploitation, often involving threats, manipulation, or physical force. In adolescents, it frequently occurs through peer pressure in social settings, online grooming via social media leading to in-person assaults, abuse by relatives in family environments, or spousal rape in cases of early marriage.
3. Psychological and emotional abuse; includes non-physical acts like controlling behaviours, threats, humiliation, constant criticism, gaslighting, or isolation, aimed at undermining the victim’s self-worth and autonomy. For adolescents, this manifests in dating relationships through jealous monitoring, cyberbullying via social platforms, or family dynamics where parents or siblings belittle based on gender roles, such as shaming girls for independence or boys for vulnerability.
4. Stalking and harassment; refers to repeated, unwanted attention or pursuit that instills fear, such as following someone, sending persistent messages, or monitoring online activities without consent. Among teens, this often emerges in school environments through peer obsession, rejected romantic advances leading to digital tracking, or street harassment targeting girls based on appearance.
5. Forced or child marriage; involves coercing adolescents into marriage without free consent, often driven by economic pressures, cultural traditions, or family arrangements, denying them education, autonomy, and childhood. In adolescence, this disproportionately affects girls, leading to early pregnancies, domestic servitude, and increased SGBV within the marriage.
6. Female genital mutilation (FGM); is a harmful cultural practice involving partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons, often performed on girls during adolescence in certain communities, causing severe physical harm like infections, chronic pain, and complications in childbirth, alongside psychological trauma from the violation of bodily integrity. It is common among the Yoruba, Hausa, and Mandingo communities in countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and Mali as well as among the Maasai and Kikuyu tribes in Kenya, Sebei in Uganda, and the Somali community in Somalia and Ethiopia. Other countries include; Sudan, Egypt, Yemen, Indonesia and Ethiopia among others.
7. Trafficking and exploitation; entails recruiting, transporting, or harbouring adolescents through force, fraud, or coercion for exploitation, including sex trafficking where teens are lured with false promises of jobs, education, or better lives. Among adolescents, this targets vulnerable groups like orphans or those in poverty, involving sexual slavery, forced labor, or organ trafficking, often crossing borders in conflict zones.
8. Intimate partner violence; comprises physical, sexual, or emotional harm inflicted by a current or former romantic partner, including in teen dating relationships. For adolescents, it often starts subtly with jealousy or control, escalating to assaults, especially in unsupervised settings or early cohabitations.

Gaps That Have Made Adolescents More Vulnerable to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence/Abuse

Several systemic and social gaps cause adolescents’ vulnerability to SGBV, creating environments where violence thrives unchecked. These include:

• Gender norms and stereotypes: Societal expectations that reinforce male dominance and female submissiveness normalize violence, making teens hesitant to challenge abusive behaviours.
• Parental and family dynamics: Extremist parenting, domestic violence, discrimination, or absence of caregivers expose teens to abuse at home. Witnessing peer or family violence increases risks.
• Poverty, conflict, and displacement: In countries where there are refugee camps or urban slums, economic stress leads to child labor, early marriage, or exploitation. Climate-related crises like droughts also amplify these vulnerabilities.
• Normalization and stigma: Violence is often seen as normal, deterring help-seeking; poor access to quality GBV services widens this gap.
• Awareness gaps: Limited education on consent and rights, leave many unprotected.
• Trauma history: Prior exposure to abuse or community violence creates cumulative vulnerability.
• Digital risks: Online platforms enable grooming and harassment without adequate safeguards.

Ways to protect adolescents from sexual and gender-based violence/abuse

Here are practical, evidence-based ways to protect adolescents from sexual and gender-based violence/abuse:

1. Teach sexuality education and consent early: Provide age-appropriate education on bodies, healthy relationships, consent (clear, enthusiastic “yes”), boundaries, and gender equality. This empowers adolescents to recognize abuse, say “no,” and seek help.
2. Promote Open, non-judgmental communication at home and schools: Parents and caregivers should create safe spaces for teens to discuss feelings, relationships, online experiences, or concerns without fear of punishment. Regular check-ins about friends, dating, or school help spot red flags early and build trust so adolescents feel comfortable disclosing issues.
3. Promote positive gender norms and challenge harmful stereotypes: Encourage discussions and activities that question ideas like “boys don’t cry” or “girls must obey.” Engage boys in programs (e.g., Coaching Boys into Men) to promote respect and empathy, while empowering girls through peer groups. This shifts social norms that normalize violence.
4. Build life skills like assertiveness, empathy, and problem-solving: Teach adolescents how to set boundaries, recognize manipulation, respond to pressure, and support peers (bystander intervention). School or community programs (e.g., Safe Dates, Shifting Boundaries) equip teens with tools to prevent dating violence, harassment, or coercion.
5. Ensure safe environments in schools, homes, and communities: Schools should implement anti-violence policies, monitor interactions, and create reporting mechanisms (e.g., guidance counselors). At home, avoid harsh punishment and supervise online use. Community efforts, like youth clubs or safe spaces in refugee settings, reduce risks from isolation or unsafe travel.
6. Educate on digital safety and online risks: Guide teens to use privacy settings, avoid sharing personal info or intimate images, recognize grooming (e.g., strangers building trust online), and report harassment. Limit unsupervised screen time and discuss cyberbullying or sextortion to prevent technology-facilitated abuse.
7. Strengthen family and community support networks: Involve extended family, religious leaders, or mentors in monitoring well-being and challenging practices like early marriage or FGM.
8. Encourage participation in positive youth activities and peer support: Enrol teens in sports, clubs, arts, or volunteering to build confidence, friendships, and belonging. Peer-led groups (e.g., in Ugandan schools or via Straight Talk Foundation) foster mutual support, reduce isolation, and promote anti-violence norms.
9. Monitor for warning signs and respond quickly: Watch for changes like withdrawal, fear of certain people/places, sudden mood shifts, or school avoidance. If suspected, listen supportively, believe the adolescent, and connect to help.
10. Advocate for and access local services and policies: Support youth-friendly health centres, counselling, and legal aid services. Push for enforcement of laws against child marriage, FGM, and SGBV, and participate in community campaigns to reduce stigma around reporting.

These options work best when combined, prevention is most effective through multi-level action (individual, family, school, community). Protecting adolescents starts with awareness and collective action, you’re taking an important step by seeking this information.

If you’re a parent, teen, or caregiver concerned about a specific situation, reach out to Child Helpline or nearby youth centre for immediate, confidential support.