More than 1 in 5 girls and women in sub-Saharan Africa (over 79 million girls and women) have endured sexual violence before reaching adulthood. This figure, highlighted in UNICEF’s latest report, paints a bleak reality in a region where cultural taboos, stigma, and silence surround the issue. Behind the numbers lie untold stories of broken childhoods, betrayed trust, and futures marked by not only scars but also bleeding wounds of trauma.
Childhood sexual violence is often an unspoken burden carried in silence. For many survivors, the abuse is buried deep, veiled by fear, shame, and a lack of safe spaces to speak out. These young girls, full of life and potential, are forced to navigate the world carrying the weight of their violation alone, their voices muted by a society that too often turns away.
The emotional and psychological scars run deep. Survivors commonly face isolation, struggling with feelings of guilt and confusion, and questioning their worth and safety. Some develop lifelong struggles with anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress. Others find themselves battling substance abuse or falling into risky behaviors, trying to numb the pain they are unable to voice. For many, the fear of not being believed or supported traps them in silence.
But their silence does not mean they are unaffected. Even those who manage to suppress the trauma find it resurfacing in other forms in the way they relate to others, in the way they see themselves, and in the opportunities they either take or shy away from. The impact of sexual violence is not just personal it’s societal. These young women grow into adults who, if unsupported, continue to carry the emotional weight of their trauma, which can ripple out to affect their families, communities, and future generations.
In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, discussing sexual violence remains taboo. The burden of shame often falls on the victim rather than the perpetrator, further compounding the trauma. Girls are taught to protect their families’ honor by keeping silent, leaving them to deal with the confusion and betrayal. This isolation often prevents them from seeking help, while their abusers remain protected by cultural norms and faulty justice systems.
Beyond physical violence, the rise of digital abuse has opened new frontiers of harm. As internet access spreads across the continent, many young girls find themselves vulnerable to online predators, harassment, and exploitation. A growing number of children are facing threats not only from those around them but also from strangers who hide behind screens, making the problem even harder to combat. UNICEF’s efforts have focused on raising awareness and creating safer online spaces for children, yet more dents remain to be filled.
UNICEF’s report points to a burning truth; the issue of childhood sexual violence is far more widespread than most realize. When considering non-contact forms of abuse such as verbal harassment, online grooming, and cyberbullying the number of affected girls and women globally rises dramatically to 650 million. This includes countless children across Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and other nations in the region, whose cries for help remain unheard amid the noise of societal stigma and indifference.
Yet, despite the enormity of the problem, there is hope. Around the region, grassroots organizations such as Safe Spaces Kenya and advocacy groups such as Equality Now and, Usikimye are working to create change. They are challenging the cultural norms that have kept these stories in the shadows, pushing for legal reforms, and supporting survivors who have been silenced for too long.
Ending childhood sexual violence requires more than just stronger laws. It demands a cultural and mindset shift, where communities become allies, not obstacles, in the fight to protect children. It requires safe spaces where girls can speak without fear of retribution, where they are believed, supported, and offered the care they need to heal.
The global community is reminded that protecting girls is not only a moral obligation but a pathway to creating a more just and equal society. We must amplify the voices of survivors, invest in child protection systems, and hold perpetrators accountable because every girl deserves the right to grow up safe, empowered, and free from harm.