One in 20 women, about 5%, experience rape over their lifetime, yet only a small fraction of these assaults are ever met with arrest or charges. And the impact goes far beyond reporting rates, with pooled estimates of PTSD symptoms reaching 24.0% after sexual assault and substantially higher odds of depression, substance use, and healthcare costs for survivors.
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 prevalence rates, estimates consistently show that sexual violence affects a sizable share of women, ranging from about 5% experiencing rape lifetime in WHO data to roughly 18% reporting rape or sexual assault in a 2018 systematic review.
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 against women is linked to a measurable rise in both mental health and costs, with depression risk more than doubling at an odds ratio of 2.3, PTSD symptoms affecting 24.0% of survivors, and annual incremental healthcare spending estimated at about $3,000.
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
Across the world, “system performance” gaps are stark, with only 27% of reported sexual assaults leading to arrest in the US and 64% of rape investigations in Sweden ending without indictment, while even in Australia police recorded about 5,000 sexual assault offences per quarter and in South Africa 33.0% of women report experiencing 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
For the Prevalence and Victimization angle, the figures suggest that sexual violence by intimate partners is not only widespread but also recurring, with 31.0% of women worldwide (ages 15 to 49) reporting such experiences within the past 12 months and 15.0% of women in the Netherlands reporting lifetime exposure.
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 in the United States were not reported to police in 2019, even though 5.3% of adult women reported being victims of sexual assault (contact) at some point in their lifetime.
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
Intimate partner violence and sexual violence account for 1.5% of global DALYs, underscoring that their harm extends beyond individual injury into broader economic and societal impact worldwide.
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, women exposed to sexual violence show consistently worse mental health and related behaviors, with risks rising to 2.1 times for PTSD symptoms and 1.8 times for depression symptoms, alongside higher rates of hazardous alcohol use at 2.0 times and smoking at 1.9 times.
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
Within Service Access and Quality, using standardized sexual assault care pathways is linked to a 2.8x higher odds of improved patient satisfaction, highlighting how care standardization can measurably elevate service experience.
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)