Rape and sexual violence are still far more common than most people realize, with one in three women worldwide experiencing sexual violence either by an intimate partner or by someone else across their lifetimes. Even when assaults are reported, police data and public visibility often miss much of what victims face, such as the fact that in the United States 64% of rape victimizations are not reported to police. This post brings those gaps and global patterns together, from humanitarian settings to mental health impacts, to show where the statistics align and where they sharply diverge.
Key Takeaways
- 1 in 3 women worldwide experience either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.
- 3.1% of all global deaths and injuries are attributable to sexual violence in WHO global analyses (WHO violence estimates).
- Sexual violence in conflict settings affects children as well as adults; in humanitarian settings, rape and sexual violence are among the most commonly reported protection violations (UNFPA/UNHCR summary).
- In the U.S., 64% of rape victimizations are not reported to police (NCVS-based estimate summarized by DOJ/BJS).
- In England and Wales, police crime recording improvements have been implemented; in an HMICFRS inspection, 71% of rape records were accurate to the victim’s report (inspection scoring).
- In Australia, only about 28% of sexual assault incidents are reported to police (AIHW).
- In England and Wales, 24% of rape offences recorded in 2023/24 were committed by someone known to the victim (Home Office/ONS police data).
- 12% of women in the EU reported experiencing sexual violence since age 15 in Eurobarometer survey results (self-reported experience prevalence).
- In the United States, 24.2% of women reported being raped at some point in their lifetime in the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) lifetime prevalence estimate.
- In Australia, 3.4% of women reported sexual violence in the last 12 months in the Personal Safety Survey (ABS).
- 24% of rape victims in England and Wales in 2023/24 were victimized by someone known to them, based on Home Office police-recorded offence characteristics (relationship-to-victim share).
- In Spain, there were 17,000+ reports of sexual violence offences (including rape) to police in 2022 based on Ministry of the Interior criminal statistics (reported offence count).
- In Sweden, 13,700 rapes were reported to police in 2022 (BRÅ recorded crime count).
- A peer-reviewed systematic review found that PTSD prevalence after rape averages about 30% among survivors (pooled mental health outcome prevalence).
- A systematic review reported that 39% of rape survivors report depressive symptoms above clinical cutoffs (pooled mental health symptom prevalence).
One in three women face sexual or intimate partner violence, yet most assaults are never reported.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence And Burden5 stats
01
1 in 3 women worldwide experience either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.
02
3.1% of all global deaths and injuries are attributable to sexual violence in WHO global analyses (WHO violence estimates).
03
Sexual violence in conflict settings affects children as well as adults; in humanitarian settings, rape and sexual violence are among the most commonly reported protection violations (UNFPA/UNHCR summary).
04
In 2018, the UN reported that at least 5,000 incidents of rape and other forms of sexual violence were recorded in conflict-affected settings (UN data as summarized by UN).
05
In England and Wales, the proportion of rapes not recorded when reported by victims was 32% in a 2014 inspection report (HMIC).
Interpretation
Prevalence And Burden Interpretation
The prevalence and burden of rape are widespread and persistent, with 1 in 3 women worldwide experiencing either physical and or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence over their lifetime and sexual violence accounting for 3.1% of global deaths and injuries, while reporting gaps remain substantial as shown by 32% of rapes not being recorded in England and Wales when victims reported them in 2014.
02 · Category
Reporting, Justice, And Response4 stats
01
In the U.S., 64% of rape victimizations are not reported to police (NCVS-based estimate summarized by DOJ/BJS).
02
In England and Wales, police crime recording improvements have been implemented; in an HMICFRS inspection, 71% of rape records were accurate to the victim’s report (inspection scoring).
03
In Australia, only about 28% of sexual assault incidents are reported to police (AIHW).
04
In Canada, police-reported sexual assaults have an estimated reporting rate of around 28% to police (Victimization survey estimate summarized by Statistics Canada research).
Interpretation
Reporting, Justice, And Response Interpretation
Across multiple countries, most rape and sexual assault cases are never reported to police, with rates as high as 64% unreported in the U.S. and only about 28% reported in both Australia and Canada, showing that the biggest gap in reporting, justice, and response is getting survivors into the system in the first place.
03 · Category
Perpetration And Context1 stats
01
In England and Wales, 24% of rape offences recorded in 2023/24 were committed by someone known to the victim (Home Office/ONS police data).
Interpretation
Perpetration And Context Interpretation
In England and Wales, 24% of rape offences recorded in 2023/24 were perpetrated by someone known to the victim, highlighting that the context of acquaintance is a meaningful part of how these offences occur.
04 · Category
Prevalence & Incidence5 stats
01
12% of women in the EU reported experiencing sexual violence since age 15 in Eurobarometer survey results (self-reported experience prevalence).
02
In the United States, 24.2% of women reported being raped at some point in their lifetime in the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) lifetime prevalence estimate.
03
In Australia, 3.4% of women reported sexual violence in the last 12 months in the Personal Safety Survey (ABS).
04
In Canada, 1.0% of Canadians reported sexual assault victimization in the previous 12 months (victimization incidence share).
05
A meta-analysis found that sexual violence disclosure rates average 28% across studies (disclosure prevalence pooled estimate).
Interpretation
Prevalence & Incidence Interpretation
Across studies, rape and sexual violence remain common when measured as prevalence and incidence, with lifetime self-reported experience reaching 24.2% in the US and 12% of EU women reporting since age 15, while more recent incidence estimates still show clear ongoing harm such as 3.4% in Australia over the last 12 months, 1.0% in Canada in the previous 12 months, and an average 28% disclosure rate when people come forward.
05 · Category
Crime Burden3 stats
01
24% of rape victims in England and Wales in 2023/24 were victimized by someone known to them, based on Home Office police-recorded offence characteristics (relationship-to-victim share).
02
In Spain, there were 17,000+ reports of sexual violence offences (including rape) to police in 2022 based on Ministry of the Interior criminal statistics (reported offence count).
03
In Sweden, 13,700 rapes were reported to police in 2022 (BRÅ recorded crime count).
Interpretation
Crime Burden Interpretation
From a crime burden perspective, reported rape and related sexual violence are substantial across countries, with 13,700 rapes reported in Sweden in 2022 and over 17,000 sexual violence offences reported in Spain in 2022, while in England and Wales 24% of rape victims in 2023/24 were targeted by someone known to them.
More related reading
06 · Category
Health & Societal Impact3 stats
01
A peer-reviewed systematic review found that PTSD prevalence after rape averages about 30% among survivors (pooled mental health outcome prevalence).
02
A systematic review reported that 39% of rape survivors report depressive symptoms above clinical cutoffs (pooled mental health symptom prevalence).
03
Rape survivors experience lifetime use of mental health services at 3.5 times the rate of non-victims in a US healthcare claims analysis (service use multiplier).
Interpretation
Health & Societal Impact Interpretation
In the Health & Societal Impact category, rape is strongly linked to major mental health burdens with about 30% of survivors experiencing PTSD and 39% showing clinically significant depressive symptoms, while US claims data also show lifetime mental health service use at 3.5 times the rate of non-victims.
07 · Category
Conflict & Humanitarian3 stats
01
In conflict-affected settings, a systematic review found that reported prevalence of rape/sexual violence among women in camps ranged from 3% to 15% depending on survey methods (range of prevalence in humanitarian surveys).
02
In humanitarian response settings, a rapid assessment study reported that 60% of reported protection incidents involved sexual violence (share of incident types in assessments).
03
A global meta-analysis estimated that 20% of sexual violence survivors in conflict settings were also affected by physical injury requiring medical attention (injury co-occurrence estimate).
Interpretation
Conflict & Humanitarian Interpretation
In conflict-affected humanitarian settings, reported rape and sexual violence can range from 3% to 15% across camps, while in assessments sexual violence makes up 60% of protection incidents and about 20% of survivors also face physical injuries needing medical attention.
08 · Category
Reporting & Justice System1 stats
01
In Spain, 29.0% of sexual violence offences recorded in 2022 involved a partner/ex-partner—Ministry of the Interior criminal statistics distribution
Interpretation
Reporting & Justice System Interpretation
In Spain in 2022, 29.0% of recorded sexual violence offences involved a partner or ex-partner, highlighting that reporting and justice processes are often dealing with intimate relationship cases.
09 · Category
Risk & Correlates4 stats
01
36% of survivors of rape/sexual violence in high-income countries report suicidal ideation—pooled prevalence from a systematic review
02
2.6x higher odds of PTSD among rape survivors vs. non-exposed controls—meta-analytic comparative effect size
03
43% of rape survivors report clinically significant anxiety symptoms—pooled estimate from a systematic review of mental health outcomes
04
Rape exposure is associated with 1.9x higher odds of alcohol use disorder—systematic review meta-analysis estimate
Interpretation
Risk & Correlates Interpretation
From a risk and correlates perspective, rape is tightly linked to major mental health and substance outcomes, with pooled estimates showing 36% suicidal ideation and 43% clinically significant anxiety, alongside 2.6 times higher odds of PTSD and 1.9 times higher odds of alcohol use disorder.
10 · Category
Conflict & Humanitarian Context3 stats
01
3.6% of women in humanitarian settings reported experiencing sexual violence in surveys synthesized in a 2021 review—pooled prevalence estimate used for humanitarian programming
02
In a global review of humanitarian GBV programming, 92% of implementing organizations reported using survivor-centered approaches—survey of agencies (2019)
03
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a 2019 survey reported that 46% of women who experienced sexual violence attributed it to conflict-related actors—attribution share in primary survey findings
Interpretation
Conflict & Humanitarian Context Interpretation
In conflict and humanitarian settings, the data show both the scale and the direction of risk, with 3.6% of women reporting sexual violence in synthesized 2021 survey findings, while 92% of GBV implementers say they use survivor-centered approaches and in the DRC 46% of affected women attribute the violence to conflict-related actors.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Rape Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/rape-statistics
MLA
Ryan Townsend. "Rape Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/rape-statistics.
Chicago
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "Rape Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/rape-statistics.
Sources & references
32 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+6 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)