Lancet study estimates over 30% girls, 13% boys in India sexually violated before age 18
New Delhi: Over 30 percent of girls and 13 percent of boys in India experienced sexual violence before turning 18 years old in 2023, according to an analysis published in The Lancet journal.
Estimating the prevalence of sexual violence against children in over 200 countries between 1990 and 2023, the study found that the highest rates were recorded in south Asia for girls -- ranging from 9.3 percent in Bangladesh to 30.8 percent in India.
Around the world, about one in five girls and one in seven boys are estimated to experience sexual violence before turning 18.
Researchers, including those from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, US, also found that sub-Saharan Africa had the highest rates of sexual violence among boys aged under 18, varying from about eight percent in Zimbabwe to 28 percent in Côte d'Ivoire.
Sexual violence against children is a critical public health and human rights issue.
Consequences of sexual abuse affect one's long-term health by raising their risk of mental health conditions.
The researchers said that accurate global estimates of sexual violence are important for targeted prevention and advocacy efforts.
However, existing studies present estimates for a limited number of countries and are hindered by data sparsity and measurement challenges, they said.
This study -- one of the first to provide global estimates -- reviewed publicly available repositories for data on the prevalence of sexual violence against children.
"We estimate that the global age-standardised prevalence of SVAC (sexual violence against children) was 18.9 percent for females and 14.8 percent for males in 2023," the authors wrote.
The team also said that the first exposure to sexual violence among teens and young adults before age 18 occurred for nearly 70 percent of the world's men and women.
The authors also found "persistent data gaps", for which they stressed on expanded surveys and surveillance programmes.
They also called for more services and systems in place to support survivors of sexual violence for the rest of their lives and creating childhoods free of sexual violence.
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EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
