Autism affects about 1 in 100 children worldwide. In the U.S. special education system autism accounts for 11% of students receiving services under IDEA and totals roughly 747,000 individuals ages 3 to 21. Studies show 64% of youth with autism have been bullied while 63% of adults with autism report at least one form of victimization.
Key Takeaways
- In 2017, 2.5% of children with disabilities were identified with ASD (U.S. special education/child find context).
- The special education identification of ASD in the U.S. increased from about 448,000 students (2015–16) to about 754,000 students (2019–20).
- In 2019–20, ASD accounted for 11% of students receiving special education under IDEA with autism as the disability category (U.S. IDEA context).
- In a U.S. study, the adjusted risk ratio for being bullied among youth with ASD was 2.0 compared with peers without ASD.
- In a U.S. sample, 64% of youth with autism had been bullied (range varies by instrument; reported in the same study).
- In that study, 44% reported being bullied at least once in the prior 12 months.
- In a U.S. study focused on autism and victimization, 63% of adults with autism spectrum disorder reported experiencing at least one form of victimization.
- In that study, 21% reported experiencing physical assault.
- In the same study, 38% reported experiencing psychological victimization.
- In a study of maltreatment risk, children with disabilities had 1.2 times the odds of being investigated for maltreatment compared with children without disabilities.
- In that study, children with developmental disabilities had higher odds of maltreatment investigation than other disability groups (odds ratios reported).
- In the U.S. 2019 Child Maltreatment report, 674,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect.
- In a study of maltreatment outcomes among disabled children, 11.3% of disabled children experienced maltreatment (meta-estimate reported by authors).
- In that disabled-children maltreatment review, risk of maltreatment was higher for disabled children than non-disabled children (relative risk reported).
- WHO reports that autism is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders worldwide, affecting about 1 in 100 children.
Bullying and victimization are common for autistic people, alongside high rates of childhood abuse.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence & Demographics7 stats
01
In 2017, 2.5% of children with disabilities were identified with ASD (U.S. special education/child find context).
02
The special education identification of ASD in the U.S. increased from about 448,000 students (2015–16) to about 754,000 students (2019–20).
03
In 2019–20, ASD accounted for 11% of students receiving special education under IDEA with autism as the disability category (U.S. IDEA context).
04
In 2019–20, there were about 747,000 students ages 3–21 identified with autism in the U.S. special education system.
05
In 2020, the global prevalence of autism spectrum disorder was estimated around 1 in 100 children (WHO-referenced global estimate).
06
Autism spectrum disorder is about 4 times more common in boys than girls (WHO fact sheet).
07
WHO estimates that autism affects about 1 in 100 children worldwide.
Interpretation
Prevalence & Demographics Interpretation
Between about 448,000 students in 2015–16 and roughly 754,000 in 2019–20, autism identification in U.S. special education climbed sharply, and in 2019–20 autism made up 11% of IDEA special education students, even as global estimates suggest autism affects around 1 in 100 children worldwide.
02 · Category
Bullying & Harassment4 stats
01
In a U.S. study, the adjusted risk ratio for being bullied among youth with ASD was 2.0 compared with peers without ASD.
02
In a U.S. sample, 64% of youth with autism had been bullied (range varies by instrument; reported in the same study).
03
In that study, 44% reported being bullied at least once in the prior 12 months.
04
Youth with ASD reported higher rates of school bullying than youth without ASD in multiple subscales (physical/verbal/relational).
Interpretation
Bullying & Harassment Interpretation
In U.S. data, youth with autism show notably higher bullying exposure than peers without ASD, with an adjusted risk ratio of 2.0 and 64% reporting they had been bullied, including 44% bullied at least once in the past 12 months.
03 · Category
Violence, Crime & Exploitation13 stats
01
In a U.S. study focused on autism and victimization, 63% of adults with autism spectrum disorder reported experiencing at least one form of victimization.
02
In that study, 21% reported experiencing physical assault.
03
In the same study, 38% reported experiencing psychological victimization.
04
In the same study, 44% reported experiencing harassment.
05
A systematic review reported that individuals with autism experience elevated rates of bullying and victimization compared with non-autistic peers.
06
A review of autism and victimization found that prevalence estimates of bullying/victimization often exceed 30% depending on measures used.
07
In a survey study of adults with autism, 20% reported sexual victimization (lifetime) in that sample.
08
In a study on violence and disability, 34% of adults with developmental disabilities reported victimization compared to 16% among adults without disabilities (disability-victimization comparison).
09
In that disability victimization comparison study, 25% of adults with developmental disabilities reported experiencing sexual violence.
10
In a longitudinal cohort, autistic children had a 1.6-fold higher risk of victimization compared with non-autistic children (hazard ratio reported).
11
In that longitudinal cohort, 27% of autistic children were victimized at least once (cumulative incidence reported).
12
In that study, victimization in the cohort was higher for autistic children with co-occurring intellectual disability (group difference reported).
13
A 2021 systematic review found that autistic people were more likely to experience violence than non-autistic people, with odds ratios frequently above 2.0 across included studies.
Interpretation
Violence, Crime & Exploitation Interpretation
Across studies, autistic people and other individuals with developmental disabilities face substantially higher victimization risk, with 63% of adults with autism reporting at least one form of victimization in one U.S. study and longitudinal data showing autistic children had a 1.6 times higher risk and a 27% cumulative incidence compared with non-autistic peers.
More related reading
04 · Category
Child Welfare & Maltreatment26 stats
01
In a study of maltreatment risk, children with disabilities had 1.2 times the odds of being investigated for maltreatment compared with children without disabilities.
02
In that study, children with developmental disabilities had higher odds of maltreatment investigation than other disability groups (odds ratios reported).
03
In the U.S. 2019 Child Maltreatment report, 674,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect.
04
In 2019, 1,784 children died from abuse and neglect-related injuries (U.S. child maltreatment report).
05
In 2019, substantiated reports of child maltreatment were 656,000 in the U.S.
06
In 2019, the rate of children who were victims was 9.2 per 1,000 children in the U.S.
07
In 2019, 72% of child victims experienced neglect as the primary type of maltreatment (U.S.).
08
In 2019, 10% of child victims experienced physical abuse as the primary type of maltreatment (U.S.).
09
In 2019, 7% of child victims experienced sexual abuse as the primary type of maltreatment (U.S.).
10
In 2019, 17% of victims experienced psychological maltreatment as the primary type of maltreatment (U.S.).
11
In 2019, about 21% of child victims were under age 4 (U.S. distribution).
12
In 2019, about 22% of child victims were age 10–15 (U.S. distribution).
13
In 2019, 59% of perpetrators were parents (as reported in the U.S. child maltreatment report).
14
In 2019, 25% of perpetrators were other relatives (U.S. child maltreatment report).
15
In 2019, 35% of perpetrators had a prior allegation or substantiation (U.S. child maltreatment report).
16
In 2019, 4.3% of maltreatment cases involved an alleged perpetrator with a substance abuse history (U.S. child maltreatment report).
17
In 2019, 2.4% of alleged perpetrators had mental health issues (U.S. child maltreatment report).
18
In the U.S., approximately 1 in 4 children (24%) experience maltreatment at least once during childhood (national estimates from CDC-Kaiser ACEs analyses).
19
The CDC-Kaiser ACEs page notes that 1 in 10 children (10%) experience physical abuse (U.S. lifetime prevalence estimate).
20
The CDC-Kaiser ACEs page notes that 1 in 20 children (5%) experience sexual abuse (U.S. lifetime prevalence estimate).
21
The CDC-Kaiser ACEs page notes that 1 in 2 children (50%) experience emotional abuse (U.S. lifetime prevalence estimate).
22
The CDC-Kaiser ACEs page notes that 1 in 10 children (10%) experience neglect (U.S. lifetime prevalence estimate).
23
A 2014 study reported 33% of caregivers reported at least one incident of abuse/neglect affecting their disabled child (includes autism/disability subgroup).
24
In that caregiver study, neglect incidents accounted for 60% of reported maltreatment incidents (share reported).
25
In that caregiver study, physical abuse accounted for 20% of reported maltreatment incidents (share reported).
26
In that caregiver study, psychological/emotional abuse accounted for 20% of reported maltreatment incidents (share reported).
Interpretation
Child Welfare & Maltreatment Interpretation
Across the U.S., 656,000 children were victims in 2019, and neglect was by far the most common form at 72%, while studies and national estimates also suggest that disability and autism related needs are linked to higher maltreatment investigation risk.
05 · Category
Health & Economic Impact6 stats
01
In a study of maltreatment outcomes among disabled children, 11.3% of disabled children experienced maltreatment (meta-estimate reported by authors).
02
In that disabled-children maltreatment review, risk of maltreatment was higher for disabled children than non-disabled children (relative risk reported).
03
WHO reports that autism is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders worldwide, affecting about 1 in 100 children.
04
A systematic review found that autism is associated with a higher risk of comorbid mental health conditions, with depression/anxiety in a substantial minority of cases (prevalence ranges reported).
05
A peer-reviewed study reported that suicide ideation in autistic adults was 12.6% (estimate based on sample).
06
In that meta-analysis, self-harm prevalence among autistic adults was about 10% (pooled estimate).
Interpretation
Health & Economic Impact Interpretation
Across these findings, autistic children and adults face a notably higher and measurable burden of harm, from 11.3% maltreatment in disabled children and autism affecting about 1 in 100 children worldwide to depression and anxiety in a substantial minority and pooled self harm around 10%, with suicide ideation reported at 12.6% in autistic adults.
06 · Category
Policy & Reporting6 stats
01
In a systematic review of autism and bullying/victimization, 1 in 3 or more participants often reported bullying experiences depending on study setting (reported as frequent prevalence across studies).
02
The WHO highlights that people with autism may experience difficulty accessing healthcare, which can contribute to under-identification of abuse (WHO fact sheet notes barriers).
03
In the U.S., the IDEA requires that educational services include needed accommodations for eligible children, with enforcement via federal monitoring (U.S. IDEA statutory framework).
04
The U.S. Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) defines eligible states to include education/health personnel as mandatory reporters (federal program rules).
05
CAPTA provides for federal grants to states for child abuse prevention and treatment programs including professional training.
06
In the U.S., the National Human Trafficking Hotline received 50,000+ reports annually in recent years (hotline annual metrics).
Interpretation
Policy & Reporting Interpretation
Across studies, at least 1 in 3 participants with autism report bullying or victimization, and since access and identification are further limited by healthcare barriers while U.S. systems rely on requirements like IDEA accommodations and CAPTA mandatory reporting, abuse prevention and reporting efforts must address both high victimization rates and under-detection.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
David Sutherland. (2026, February 13). Autism Abuse Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/autism-abuse-statistics
MLA
David Sutherland. "Autism Abuse Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/autism-abuse-statistics.
Chicago
David Sutherland. 2026. "Autism Abuse Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/autism-abuse-statistics.
Sources & references
19 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+10 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)