About 1 in 20 women, or roughly 5%, experience rape in their lifetime. Beyond reporting and prosecution gaps, research estimates PTSD symptoms in 24.0% of survivors after sexual assault. Survivors also face higher odds of depression, substance use problems, and elevated healthcare costs.
Key Takeaways
- A 2018 systematic review estimated that 18.0% of women experience rape or sexual assault in their lifetime (lifetime prevalence)
- A 2020 meta-analysis estimated that 13.7% of women experience sexual violence at some point in their lifetime
- WHO estimates that 1 in 20 women (5%) experience rape in their lifetime
- Sexual violence against women accounts for 2.9% of total global burden of injury and disease in women aged 15–44 (GBD analysis; percentage reported in the study).
- Survivors of sexual violence have an increased risk of depression with an odds ratio of 2.3 compared with non-exposed populations (meta-analysis).
- After sexual assault, a pooled prevalence of PTSD symptoms is 24.0% (systematic review estimate).
- In the US, 27% of sexual assaults reported to police result in an arrest (BJS/NIBRS summary estimate).
- In Sweden, 64% of rape investigations are closed without indictment (Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention Brå reporting closure statistic).
- In Australia, police recorded 5,000 offences of sexual assault in 2022 per quarter (Australian Bureau of Statistics/Recorded Crime statistics for sexual assault).
- 31.0% of women worldwide (15–49) who have been subjected to sexual violence by an intimate partner reported having experienced it within the past 12 months (WHO multi-country study; as reported in the prevalence/health burden literature)
- 15.0% of women in the Netherlands reported experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime (National Crime Victimization Survey data)
- 87.0% of sexual assault victimizations were not reported to police in the United States (National Crime Victimization Survey estimate, 2019)
- 5.3% of adult women in the United States reported being victims of sexual assault (contact) in their lifetime (NCVS/NSC composite indicator estimate reported by BJS using NCVS)
- 1.5% of global DALYs were attributable to intimate partner violence and sexual violence combined (GBD analysis; as reported in the 2019/2020 GBD results dissemination materials)
- 2.1x higher risk of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among sexual violence survivors compared with non-exposed people (meta-analysis pooled association)
Around one in five women experience sexual violence, and it closely harms mental health, well-being, and healthcare outcomes.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence Rates6 stats
01
A 2018 systematic review estimated that 18.0% of women experience rape or sexual assault in their lifetime (lifetime prevalence)
02
A 2020 meta-analysis estimated that 13.7% of women experience sexual violence at some point in their lifetime
03
WHO estimates that 1 in 20 women (5%) experience rape in their lifetime
04
In Norway, 10.8% of women reported having been a victim of sexual violence at least once since age 15 (FRA 2014 cross-national results)
05
In Canada, 1 in 15 women (6.7%) reported being victims of sexual assault since age 15 in 2019 (Statistics Canada, CVAS)
06
In Australia, 8.9% of women reported being sexually harassed since age 15 (2016 Personal Safety Survey)
Interpretation
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
Across the prevalence rates reported in these studies and surveys, between about 5% and 18% of women report experiencing sexual violence or rape in their lifetime, showing that for this category the burden is substantial and consistently present in many countries.
02 · Category
Health & Economic Impact5 stats
01
Sexual violence against women accounts for 2.9% of total global burden of injury and disease in women aged 15–44 (GBD analysis; percentage reported in the study).
02
Survivors of sexual violence have an increased risk of depression with an odds ratio of 2.3 compared with non-exposed populations (meta-analysis).
03
After sexual assault, a pooled prevalence of PTSD symptoms is 24.0% (systematic review estimate).
04
Sexual violence is associated with a 1.5x higher risk of substance use disorders in exposed individuals (meta-analytic association).
05
Survivors of sexual violence have elevated healthcare costs, with annual incremental costs estimated at $3,000(peer-reviewed economic evaluation estimate).
Interpretation
Health & Economic Impact Interpretation
In the Health and Economic Impact category, sexual violence shows a clear burden across both health and costs, including depression risk nearly doubling with an odds ratio of 2.3, PTSD symptoms affecting about 24.0% of survivors, and an estimated $3,000 in annual incremental healthcare costs.
03 · Category
System Performance4 stats
01
In the US, 27% of sexual assaults reported to police result in an arrest (BJS/NIBRS summary estimate).
02
In Sweden, 64% of rape investigations are closed without indictment (Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention Brå reporting closure statistic).
03
In Australia, police recorded 5,000 offences of sexual assault in 2022 per quarter (Australian Bureau of Statistics/Recorded Crime statistics for sexual assault).
04
In South Africa, 33.0% of women report experiencing sexual violence (SAC/SHARE or national victimization survey estimate; percentage reported in the study).
Interpretation
System Performance Interpretation
From a system performance perspective, the data show that outcomes after sexual assault reports vary sharply across countries, with only 27% of police-reported cases leading to an arrest in the US and 64% of rape investigations closed without indictment in Sweden, while Australia recorded 5,000 sexual assault offences per quarter and South Africa reports that 33.0% of women experience sexual violence.
04 · Category
Prevalence & Victimization2 stats
01
31.0% of women worldwide (15–49) who have been subjected to sexual violence by an intimate partner reported having experienced it within the past 12 months (WHO multi-country study; as reported in the prevalence/health burden literature)
02
15.0% of women in the Netherlands reported experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime (National Crime Victimization Survey data)
Interpretation
Prevalence & Victimization Interpretation
In the prevalence and victimization context, the data show that intimate partner sexual violence affects a sizable 31.0% of women worldwide aged 15 to 49, and that 15.0% of women in the Netherlands report having experienced sexual violence at some point in their lifetime.
More related reading
05 · Category
Reporting & Criminal Justice2 stats
01
87.0% of sexual assault victimizations were not reported to police in the United States (National Crime Victimization Survey estimate, 2019)
02
5.3% of adult women in the United States reported being victims of sexual assault (contact) in their lifetime (NCVS/NSC composite indicator estimate reported by BJS using NCVS)
Interpretation
Reporting & Criminal Justice Interpretation
From the Reporting and Criminal Justice perspective, 87.0% of sexual assault victimizations were not reported to police in 2019, even though 5.3% of adult women report having been victims of sexual assault contact at some point in their lives.
06 · Category
Economic & Societal Impact1 stats
01
1.5% of global DALYs were attributable to intimate partner violence and sexual violence combined (GBD analysis; as reported in the 2019/2020 GBD results dissemination materials)
Interpretation
Economic & Societal Impact Interpretation
For the Economic and Societal Impact lens, intimate partner violence and sexual violence account for 1.5% of global DALYs combined, underscoring how these harms extend beyond individual injuries to affect population health and broader societal wellbeing.
07 · Category
Health Outcomes4 stats
01
2.1x higher risk of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among sexual violence survivors compared with non-exposed people (meta-analysis pooled association)
02
1.8x higher likelihood of depression symptoms among survivors of sexual violence (systematic review and meta-analysis pooled risk estimate)
03
2.0x higher risk of hazardous alcohol use among individuals exposed to sexual violence (meta-analysis pooled association)
04
1.9x higher risk of smoking among those exposed to sexual violence (meta-analysis pooled association)
Interpretation
Health Outcomes Interpretation
Under the Health Outcomes lens, sexual violence survivors show sharply elevated mental and substance-related impacts, with risks of PTSD symptoms 2.1 times higher and depression symptoms 1.8 times higher than among non-exposed people, alongside about 2.0 times higher hazardous alcohol use and 1.9 times higher smoking.
08 · Category
Service Access & Quality1 stats
01
2.8x higher odds of improved patient satisfaction when hospitals used standardized sexual assault care pathways (quasi-experimental evaluation reported in peer-reviewed quality improvement literature)
Interpretation
Service Access & Quality Interpretation
For the service access and quality lens, hospitals using standardized sexual assault care pathways saw 2.8 times higher odds of improved patient satisfaction, suggesting that consistent care pathways can meaningfully strengthen the quality of sexual assault services.
report visual · Key figures
How common sexual violence and assault are among women
Across studies and countries, lifetime exposure to sexual violence/assault varies, highlighting both its prevalence and the differences in measurement and reporting.
18%
A 2018 systematic review estimated that 18.0% of women experience rape or sexual assault in their lifetime (lifetime pre
13.7%
A 2020 meta-analysis estimated that 13.7% of women experience sexual violence at some point in their lifetime
10.8%
In Norway, 10.8% of women reported having been a victim of sexual violence at least once since age 15 (FRA 2014 cross-na
6.7%
In Canada, 1 in 15 women (6.7%) reported being victims of sexual assault since age 15 in 2019 (Statistics Canada, CVAS)
8.9%
In Australia, 8.9% of women reported being sexually harassed since age 15 (2016 Personal Safety Survey)
5.3%
5.3% of adult women in the United States reported being victims of sexual assault (contact) in their lifetime (NCVS/NSC
source-verifiedpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · fra.europa.eu · www150.statcan.gc.ca · abs.gov.au · bjs.ojp.gov2020
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
James Okoro. (2026, February 13). Woman Sexual Assault Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/woman-sexual-assault-statistics
MLA
James Okoro. "Woman Sexual Assault Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/woman-sexual-assault-statistics.
Chicago
James Okoro. 2026. "Woman Sexual Assault Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/woman-sexual-assault-statistics.
Sources & references
25 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+8 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)