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Sexual Violence Survey 2022 – Childhood Experiences

Contact Experiences

CSO statistical publication, 22 June 2023, 11am

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Overall childhood contact sexual violence

This chapter examines the details relating to the unwanted contact sexual violence experienced as a child. This covers experiences which occurred under the age of consent in Ireland (under 17 years) and is based on replies from those aged 18 and over.

Unwanted contact sexual violence experiences include sexual touching (where the respondent as a child was touched in a sexual way or made to touch somebody else in a sexual way), unwanted sexual intercourse, unwanted attempted sexual intercourse or another not-specified sexual contact that was attempted. These experiences are not described as “non-consensual” as these individuals were under the age of consent at the time, hence the use of the term “unwanted”. See the Background Notes for further details.

Please note that this chapter looks at child sexual violence experienced in the past by adults currently in Ireland – it does not provide insights on current levels of child sexual violence. It does not cover experiences between children which include any sexual experiences that they were comfortable with, for example, with a boyfriend or girlfriend who was a similar age to them at the time.

The demographic breakdowns provided are based on the information given by the respondent when the survey was collected, and so may not necessarily accord with their demographic profile when the sexual violence took place (for example, they may have had a lower educational level when the sexual violence occurred but have a higher educational level now when engaging with the survey).

Overall, one in five (20%) adults have experienced contact sexual violence as a child with women reporting a level of contact sexual violence as a child at over twice the rate (26%) than men (12%). Looking at the detail, those aged 18-24 were more likely to report unwanted sexual intercourse as a child (6%) than those aged 65 and over (3%). Those with a third level education reported experiencing unwanted sexual touching as a child at almost double the rate (20%) than those with a primary or below level of education (11%).

12%

of men

experienced contact sexual violence as a child

Source: CSO Ireland, Sexual Violence Survey 2022 – Childhood Experiences

Almost one in four of those aged 18-24 experienced contact sexual violence as a child

Key findings for childhood experience of contact sexual violence by sociodemographic variables:

Almost one in four (24%) of those aged 18-24 experienced contact sexual violence as a child. This was the highest rate across all age groups. See Table 6.1.
Women reported a level of contact sexual violence as a child at over twice the rate (26%) than men (12%).
People with a third level education reported experiencing contact sexual violence as a child at over twice the rate (22%) than those with a primary level of education or below (11%).
Adults with a disability reported experiencing contact sexual violence as a child (25%) at a higher level than those without a disability (17%).
Those who were unable to work due to long-standing health problems were more likely to have reported experiencing contact sexual violence as a child (35%) compared with those who were employed (19%) or those retired (17%).
Those who were divorced/legally separated were more likely to have reported experiencing contact sexual violence as a child (30%) compared with those who were single (20%) or those married (19%). See Figure 6.1.
Bisexual people reported over double the level (45%) of contact sexual violence as a child compared with heterosexual/straight people (19%). The equivalent rate for gay/lesbian people was 26%.

X-axis label	Marital status
Single	20
Married	19
Widowed	14
Divorced or legally separated	30

Table 6.1 Childhood experience of unwanted contact sexual violence by sociodemographic variables, 2022

Table 6.1 Childhood¹ experience of unwanted contact sexual violence² by sociodemographic variables³, 2022
% of persons aged 18 years and over
	Experienced unwanted contact sexual violence as a child
	Yes	No	Not stated⁴	Total
State	20	68	13	100

Sex
Male	12	75	12	100
Female	26	61	13	100

Age group⁵
18-24	24	63	14	100
25-34	17	69	15	100
35-44	19	68	14	100
45-54	21	67	12	100
55-64	22	70	8	100
65 years and over	17	69	13	100

Highest level of education attained
Primary or below	11	72	17	100
Lower secondary	13	74	13	100
Higher secondary	20	67	13	100
Post leaving certificate	20	69	11	100
Third level	22	65	12	100

Principal Economic Status
Employed	19	69	11	100
Unemployed	20	68	12	100
Retired	17	72	12	100
Unable to work due to long-standing health problems	35	57	8	100
Student	24	68	8	100
Fulfilling domestic tasks	21	71	8	100
Other⁶	17	33	50	100

Citizenship
Irish	20	69	11	100
Non Irish	20	65	15	100

Marital status⁷
Single	20	66	14	100
Married	19	69	12	100
Widowed	14	76	10	100
Divorced or legally separated	30	56	14	100

Disability
Yes	25	63	11	100
No	17	73	10	100
Not stated	0	9	91	100

Ethnicity
White - Irish	20	69	11	100
White - Irish traveller /Roma /other	21	68	11	100
Black or Black Irish	[16]	[64]	[20]	100
Asian or Asian Irish	14	71	15	100
Other⁶ including mixed group /background	16	33	51	100

Sexual orientation
Heterosexual	19	69	12	100
Bisexual	45	43	12	100
Gay/lesbian	26	61	13	100
Other including asexual /questioning /unsure	29	55	16	100
Will not say /cannot say⁶	1	38	61	100
¹ Experience of sexual violence as a child refers to unwanted experiences experienced under the age of consent (17 years). See Background Notes for further details.
² Contact sexual violence are experiences involving physical contact or attempted physical contact. See Background Notes for further details.
³ Please note data may not add to 100% due to rounding issues.
⁴This represents the proportion of respondents who did not answer the question. In this survey, respondents could move through the survey and not answer questions which they did not feel comfortable answering.
⁵ The age group category classifies the age the respondent was when they answered the survey.
⁶ Please note this includes not stated.
⁷ See background notes for further details on marital status.
[ ] Figures in parentheses indicate percentages based on small numbers and are, therefore, subject to a wide margin of error.

Open in Excel: Sexual Violence Survey 2022 - Childhood Experiences Table 6.1 (XLS 13KB)

Women were three times more likely to experience unwanted sexual intercourse as a child compared with men

Key findings for childhood experience of contact sexual violence by type of experience:

Women were three times more likely to experience unwanted sexual intercourse as a child (7%) compared with men (2%). See Table 6.2. Unwanted sexual intercourse includes instances where, as a child, a person was persuaded, made to or forced into having sexual intercourse. Sexual intercourse includes vaginal sex, anal sex, oral sex and/or penetration with an object or finger.
Women also experienced a higher rate of unwanted attempted sexual intercourse as a child (8%) compared with men (3%).
Those aged 18-24 were more likely to report unwanted sexual intercourse as a child (6%) than those aged 65 and over (3%).
Those who were divorced/legally separated were more likely to have reported experiencing unwanted sexual intercourse as a child (10%) compared with those who were single (4%).
Bisexual people reported a higher level of unwanted sexual intercourse as a child (13%) compared with heterosexual/straight people (4%). The equivalent rate for gay/lesbian people was 8%.

X-axis label	Male	Female
Sexual intercourse	2	7
Attempted sexual intercourse	3	8
Sexual touching	11	24
Other sexual contact	5	15

Table 6.2 Childhood experience of unwanted contact sexual violence by type of experience, 2022

Table 6.2 Childhood¹ experience of unwanted contact sexual violence² by type of experience^3,4, 2022
% of persons aged 18 years and over
	Type of unwanted contact sexual violence experienced a child
	Sexual intercourse			Attempted sexual intercourse			Sexual touching			Other sexual contact
	Yes	No	Not stated⁵	Yes	No	Not stated⁵	Yes	No	Not stated⁵	Yes	No	Not stated⁵
State	4	82	13	5	81	14	17	69	14	10	76	14

Sex
Male	2	85	13	3	84	14	11	75	14	5	81	14
Female	7	80	14	8	78	14	24	62	14	15	71	14

Age group⁶
18-24	6	81	14	6	79	15	20	65	15	12	73	15
25-34	4	81	15	6	79	16	14	70	15	9	74	17
35-44	4	82	14	6	80	14	16	68	15	10	76	14
45-54	4	83	13	6	80	14	20	66	14	12	75	14
55-64	4	87	8	6	86	8	20	71	9	10	81	9
65 years and over	3	82	15	4	81	15	16	69	15	9	76	16

Highest level of education attained
Primary or below	3	80	17	3	78	19	11	70	19	6	76	18
Lower secondary	3	82	15	5	82	14	12	72	15	5	80	15
Higher secondary	4	82	14	5	80	15	17	69	14	10	76	14
Post leaving certificate	5	83	11	7	81	12	18	69	12	11	77	13
Third level	4	83	13	5	81	13	20	67	13	12	74	14

Principal Economic Status
Employed	4	84	12	6	82	12	17	70	13	10	78	12
Unemployed	4	82	14	8	78	14	18	67	15	14	71	15
Retired	3	84	13	3	83	14	16	71	13	8	78	14
Unable to work due to long-standing health problems	13	77	10	14	78	8	30	61	9	20	71	9
Student	5	87	9	5	86	9	20	71	9	12	79	9
Fulfilling domestic tasks	3	89	8	4	88	8	18	75	8	10	83	8
Other⁷	6	44	50	6	43	51	16	33	51	7	40	52

Citizenship
Irish	4	84	12	6	82	13	18	70	13	10	77	13
Non Irish	6	78	15	5	79	16	19	66	16	10	73	16

Marital status⁸
Single	4	81	14	6	80	15	18	68	15	11	74	15
Married	4	84	12	5	82	13	17	70	13	10	77	13
Widowed	3	86	11	3	85	12	12	75	13	6	82	12
Divorced or legally separated	10	74	16	10	75	15	27	57	16	14	70	16

Disability
Yes	6	81	12	8	79	13	22	65	13	14	72	14
No	3	86	11	4	85	11	15	74	11	8	81	11
Not stated	0	9	91	0	9	91	0	9	91	0	9	91

Ethnicity
White - Irish	4	84	12	6	82	12	18	70	12	10	77	13
White - Irish traveller /Roma /other	6	82	12	6	82	12	19	70	11	12	77	12
Black or Black Irish	[4]	[75]	[22]	[3]	[77]	[20]	[13]	[66]	[21]	[11]	[70]	[20]
Asian or Asian Irish	4	80	16	2	81	17	13	69	18	7	75	18
Other⁷ including mixed group /background	4	43	53	7	40	53	13	31	56	9	37	53

Sexual orientation
Heterosexual	4	84	12	5	82	13	17	70	13	10	77	13
Bisexual	13	74	13	16	71	13	37	51	12	29	58	13
Gay/lesbian	8	79	13	12	75	13	21	64	15	17	70	13
Other including asexual /questioning /unsure	5	76	19	8	76	16	29	48	23	16	64	20
Will not say /cannot say⁷	0	39	61	0	37	63	1	35	64	0	37	63
¹ Experience of sexual violence as a child refers to unwanted experiences experienced under the age of consent (17 years). See Background Notes for further details.
² Contact sexual violence are unwanted experiences involving physical contact or attempted physical contact. See Background Notes for further details.
³ Definitions for each type of contact experience are detailed in the Background Notes. Children may have experienced more than one type of experience in one sexual violence episode or in many episodes.
⁴ Please note data may not add to 100% due to rounding issues.
⁵This represents the proportion of respondents who did not answer the question. In this survey, respondents could move through the survey and not answer questions which they did not feel comfortable answering.
⁶ The age group category classifies the age the respondent was when they answered the survey.
⁷ Please note this includes not stated.
⁸ See background notes for further details on marital status.
[ ] Figures in parentheses indicate percentages based on small numbers and are, therefore, subject to a wide margin of error.

Open in Excel: Sexual Violence Survey 2022 - Childhood Experiences Table 6.2 (XLS 15KB)

Almost a quarter of women experienced unwanted sexual touching as a child

Almost a quarter of women (24%) experienced unwanted sexual touching as a child. Unwanted sexual touching includes unwanted instances where, as a child, a person ever had their body touched in a sexual way by someone or they were made to touch someone else’s body in a sexual way. This was twice the rate reported by men (11%).
Those with a third level education reported experiencing unwanted sexual touching as a child at almost double the rate (20%) than those with a primary or below level of education (11%).
Those who were widowed reported lower levels of unwanted sexual touching as a child (12%) compared with those who were divorced/legally separated (27%). Similarly, rates for unwanted other sexual contact experiences for those who were widowed (6%) were lower than those who were divorced/legally separated (14%). Persons with disabilities reported experiencing higher levels of unwanted sexual touching as a child (22%) than those who did not have a disability (15%).
Overall, bisexual people reported over the double the rate of unwanted sexual touching as a child (37%) than heterosexual/straight people (17%). The equivalent rate for gay/lesbian people (21%) was also higher than the rate for heterosexual/straight people.

Next chapter: Contact Experiences - Details

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Sexual Violence Survey 2022 – Childhood Experiences

Contact Experiences

Contact Experiences

National Helplines

Overall childhood contact sexual violence

Almost one in four of those aged 18-24 experienced contact sexual violence as a child

Women were three times more likely to experience unwanted sexual intercourse as a child compared with men

Almost a quarter of women experienced unwanted sexual touching as a child

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