Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People
 Search

		Submit


Violence Prevention


Section Navigation
			
			CDC Home


Facebook
        Twitter
        LinkedIn
        Syndicate





Preventing Violence Against Children and Youth Globally										Related Pages
										How big is the problem?**Violence against children and youth is common globally.**An estimated 1 billion children—half of all the children in the world—are victims of violence every year.
**Violence against children and youth is costly**. The economic impact of violence against children and youth is estimated at hundreds of billions of dollars per year.
**Children and youth often experience more than one form of violence**. In Tanzania, for example, more than 80% of adolescent males and females aged 13 to 24 years who experienced sexual abuse as a child also experienced physical violence.
**Girls and young women are more vulnerable to sexual violence**. Between 11% and 26% of adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan African countries that completed a Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (VACS) experienced sexual violence in the past 12 months. For 7%–55% of adolescent girls and young women who ever had sex, their first sexual experience was forced or coerced, increasing their risk for HIV infection.
vacs Fast FactWhat are the consequences?**Violence against children and youth can lead to lifelong health problems.** Children who experience violence have higher risks for health and social problems, such as chronic disease, HIV, mental health issues, substance misuse, and reproductive health problems. Violence also leads to continued cycles of violence, as young people who experience violence are more likely to perpetrate violence against others later in life.
**Violence and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase the risk of sexual risk-taking behaviors and HIV.** For example, in Malawi, children exposed to violence were less likely to use condoms as young adults, increasing their risk for HIV infection.What are the Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys?Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS), led by CDC as part of the Together for Girls partnership, are nationally representative household surveys designed to measure how much and how often physical, emotional, and sexual violence against children and youth occurs globally. Males and females age 13 to 24 participate in the survey. The survey also captures information about risk and protective factors, as well as the impact of violence. Findings from VACS provide reliable evidence to enable countries to make better decisions about allocating limited resources to develop, launch, and evaluate violence prevention programs and child protection systems.Who is interviewed for the Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys?For VACS, females and males aged 13 to 24 years old are interviewed about whether they ever experienced sexual, physical, or emotional violence. They also provide information about recent experiences of violence, within the last 12 months. All data for the VACS are collected through an in-person interview with trained interviewers.What information is measured by the Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys?VACS measures how much and how often sexual, physical, and emotional violence against children and youth occurs. VACS also measures exposure to violence in the home, both towards siblings and through witnessing domestic violence. Witnessing violence in the community is also assessed. VACS also includes questions about where violence happens, risk, and protective factors. The survey also includes education and economic information, health and wellness, and other factors about the experiences of children and youth.How can we prevent violence against children and youth?Violence is preventable. A first step in preventing violence globally is understanding how much it happens, where it occurs, and its impacts on the health and well-being of children and youth. High-quality, timely data on violence provides critical information to develop prevention strategies based on the best available evidence on what works to stop the violence.
INSPIRE: Seven Strategies for Ending Violence Against Children is a group of strategies distilled from the best available evidence and with the greatest potential to reduce violence against children and youth. The INSPIRE document provides an overview of effective and promising programs and strategies to end violence. The *INSPIRE Handbook: action for implementing the seven strategies for ending violence against children* includes guidance on planning to implement interventions to prevent violence. The INSPIRE Indicator Guidance and Results Framework provides a model to track and monitor progress results. Additionally, there is an INSPIRE training, which provides individuals with the opportunity to learn more about evidence-based strategies and approaches to preventing and responding to violence against children.
Seven Strategies for Ending Violence against ChildrenVACS Process GuideViolence Against Children and Youth Surveys to Coordinated and Effective Action: CDC and the Together for Girls Partnership
Linking Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys to Coordinated and Effective Action: CDC and the Together for Girls Partnership [4.30 MB, 30 Pages, Print Only] is a guide for countries interested in undertaking VACS and supporting data-informed actions to address the burden and consequences of violence against children and youth.Top of Page
							
					
						Page last reviewed:  October 15, 2021					Content source: 	National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Violence Prevention homeViolence PreventionAbout Usplus iconStrategic VisionConnecting the dotsTimelinePublic Health ApproachThe Social-Ecological ModelFunding Hubplus iconFunding OpportunitiesFunded ResearchFunded Programs and Initiativesplus iconThe Cardiff Violence Prevention Modelplus iconToolkitWhat Is the Cardiff Model?Hospital GuidanceLaw Enforcement GuidanceLegal, Technical, and Financial ConsiderationsBuilding PartnershipsExternal Communications and Media RelationsReadiness ChecklistJournal ArticlesContact UsAdverse Childhood Experiencesplus iconFast FactsRisk and Protective FactorsPrevention StrategiesHelp Youth At Risk for ACEsCDC-Kaiser ACE StudyBRFSS ACE DataEssentials for Childhood: Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences through Data to ActionPreventing Adverse Childhood Experiences: Data to ActionResourcesChild Abuse & Neglectplus iconFast FactsRisk and Protective FactorsPrevention StrategiesAbusive Head TraumaEssentials for Childhoodplus iconAboutEssentials for ParentingFunded StatesFramework ResourcesViolence Against Children Surveysplus iconFast FactsPrevention StrategiesPartnersUS PEPFARCountry Reports & DataCountry ProcessResourcesResourcesChild Sexual Abuseplus iconPreventing Child Sexual Abuse in Youth-Serving OrganizationsCommunity Violence PreventionElder Abuseplus iconFast FactsRisk and Protective FactorsPrevention StrategiesResourcesFirearm Violence Preventionplus iconFast FactsFirearm Homicide TrendsFirearm Suicide TrendsFunded ResearchFunded Firearm Research FindingsFunded SurveillanceResourcesIntimate Partner Violenceplus iconFast FactsRisk and Protective FactorsPrevention StrategiesIntimate Partner Violence, Sexual Violence, and Stalking Among MenStalkingTeen Dating ViolenceDating Matters®plus iconAboutThe ScienceSuccess StoriesGet StartedPublications and ResourcesDELTA AHEADPreventing Teen Dating Violence and Youth Violence Programplus iconAboutGrantee ProfilesResourcesSexual Violenceplus iconFast FactsRisk and Protective FactorsPrevention StrategiesSex TraffickingSexual Violence and Intimate Partner Violence Among People with DisabilitiesPregnancy Resulting from RapeRape Prevention and Education (RPE)plus iconGrantee ProfilesResourcesplus iconUnited States Health and Justice Measures of Sexual VictimizationYouth Violenceplus iconFast FactsRisk and Protective FactorsPrevention Strategiesplus iconEnvironmental DesignBullyingSchool Violenceplus iconSchool-Associated Violent Death StudyNational Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention (YVPCs)plus iconAboutSite DescriptionsAccomplishmentsLessons LearnedResourcesStriving to Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere (STRYVE)Preventing Violence Affecting Young Lives (PREVAYL)ResourcesCoping with StressData Sourcesplus iconThe National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS)plus iconOverviewReports and PublicationsKey Terms & FAQsNational Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS)plus iconFrequently Asked QuestionsState ProfilesResourcesData AccessFeatured TopicsCommunication Resourcesplus iconInfographicsResources for ActionVideosViolence Education Tools Online (VETOViolence) To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: Email Address			What's this?				Submit
 Related Links
 Data & Statistics (WISQARS)Opioid Overdose PreventionTraumatic Brain InjuryMotor Vehicle SafetyPress Room


About CDC
					Contact Us
					800-232-4636
 Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Pinterest Snapchat
 CONTACT CDC
				Contact Us
							Call 800-232-4636
							Email Us
			ABOUT CDC
				About CDC
							Jobs
							Funding
			POLICIES
				Accessibility
							External Links
							Privacy
							Policies
							No Fear Act
							FOIA
							OIG
							Nondiscrimination
							Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			CONNECT WITH US
				Facebook
								Twitter
								Instagram
								LinkedIn
							Youtube
								Pinterest
								Snapchat
								Email
			LANGUAGES
				Español
							繁體中文
							Tiếng Việt
							한국어
							Tagalog
							Русский
							العربية
							Kreyòl Ayisyen
							Français
							Polski
							Português
							Italiano
							Deutsch
							日本語
							فارسی
							English


U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
			Accessibility
			External Links
			Privacy
			Policies
			No Fear Act
			FOIA
			Nondiscrimination
			OIG
			Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			USA.gov


Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy Close
 Links with this icon  indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
				Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
				You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
				CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Website Disclaimers
 Cancel Continue