Sexual violence affects millions of youth around the world. But it is preventable. We must address this global health and humanitarian crisis.
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1 in 5girls experience sexual violence before age 18
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1 in 7boys experience sexual violence before age 18
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150 Millionchildren experience sexual abuse each year
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Ongoing Effects
for survivors can include many negative health outcomes, from injuries, to sexually transmitted infections, to depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Why Prevention Matters
Most investment comes after the harm has already occurred.
For decades, the global response has focused primarily on responding to sexual violence after it happens. Survivor support is essential and must continue to be strengthened. But response alone cannot end the cycle.
Preventing violence before it occurs requires evidence-based education, sustained investment, and practical skills that people can use in real life. Yet very few prevention programs have been proven to work at scale.
That’s why No Means No Worldwide focuses on prevention. We work alongside local organizations to equip young people with practical skills to recognize risk, set boundaries, say no, seek help, and intervene safely—helping reduce violence before it happens.
The Cost of Inaction
Globally, violence against children is estimated to cost the world economy $7 trillion every year through healthcare expenditures, lost productivity, and other economic impacts. (Brave Movement)
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Healthcare costs -
Lost educational opportunities -
Lost productivity -
Ongoing economic hardship
Unequal Burden
Those at greatest risk often have the fewest resources.
Sexual violence does not affect everyone equally. Children, adolescents, women, people with disabilities, and other marginalized communities face the highest risk.
In many low-resource settings, where prevention programs and support services are limited, the burden is even greater. These are often the very communities that receive the least investment in preventing violence before it occurs.
At its core, sexual violence is about power and inequality. It both reflects and reinforces the barriers that prevent people from living safely and reaching their full potential.
