Collecting Data on Sexual Violence against Children in Surveys
A scoping review of available questions
Despite a proliferation of measurement activities over the past two decades to address persistent data gaps on violence against children, some forms of violence have not received sufficient investment to standardize their measurement, including sexual violence. The different approaches, definitions and methodologies used to gather data have made it challenging to monitor sexual violence against children across countries and over time.
This publication summarizes the results of a scoping review of existing survey questions on experiences of sexual violence in childhood. The purpose of the review was to assess and consolidate the current landscape of measurement tools that capture sexual violence against children and to critically review the content of such tools, including their alignment with the International Classification of Violence against Children (ICVAC). It serves as a critical foundational background for the development of a survey module on sexual violence against children.