National dark field study: almost 13 per cent of respondents affected by sexualised violence - digital channels play a relevant role

According to a new representative study, almost 13 per cent of 18 to 59-year-olds in Germany have experienced sexualised violence at least once - an extrapolated figure of 5.7 million people. The study, initiated by the Central Institute of Mental Health, is the first to shed light not only on the frequency but also the contexts and consequences of such offences and also shows the growing importance of digital channels. Women are particularly affected, while the majority of perpetrators are men. Despite increased awareness of the problem, the number of unreported cases remains high.

Sexualised violence against children and adolescents is also a widespread phenomenon in Germany. Child protection and dealing with the consequences of early childhood abuse pose major challenges for medical care. For many years, there has been criticism that there is no scientifically reliable data on the extent of sexualised violence in Germany. In addition to the actual extent, too little is still known about the exact context of the offences to be able to take targeted and effective preventative measures.

Almost 13 per cent have experienced sexualised violence

In order to remedy this situation, the Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI), as part of the German Centre for Mental Health (DZPG), together with the University Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Ulm and the Institute of Criminology at Heidelberg University, has conducted the first Germany-wide, representative study that takes into account not only the extent but also the circumstances and consequences of the offences. According to the study, 12.7 per cent of respondents stated that they had experienced sexualised violence as a child or adolescent.

Women are mostly affected

The study revealed that women are affected significantly more often than men: 20.6 percent of all women surveyed stated that they had experienced sexualised violence in childhood and adolescence (compared to 4.8 percent of men). In the younger age group of 18 to 29-year-olds, this proportion was even higher at 27.4 per cent.
‘The results indicate a considerable dark field that has not decreased compared to previous studies, although awareness of the problem has grown and prevention measures have been expanded in Germany,’ says Prof Dr Harald Dreßing, coordinator of the study and Head of Forensic Psychiatry at the ZI. When asked about the perpetrator, the majority of those affected stated that the perpetrator was male. Only 4.5 percent of those surveyed had experienced sexualised violence at the hands of a woman.

Sexualised violence most frequently within the family

The context of the offences was also asked about in the study. According to the results, those affected most frequently reported having experienced sexualised violence within the family or through relatives. It was striking that men experienced sexualised violence significantly more often in sports and leisure facilities, in a church context and in the context of child, youth and family support. The research team makes it clear that these differences show the need to develop differentiated protection concepts for children and young people.

DZPG spokesperson Prof. Silvia Schneider says: ‘ Early childhood traumatisation, such as sexualised violence, significantly increases the risk of mental illness - from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression to anxiety and personality disorders. The current study shows: The mental health of those affected is significantly worse than that of people without such experiences of violence. In order to sustainably reduce the frequency of sexualised violence in Germany, we therefore urgently need to invest in evidence-based prevention measures to combat sexualised violence in families and institutions.’

Digital channels play an important role

Digital channels, such as social media, messenger services and chats, played an important role in almost a third of cases (31.7 per cent). These cases involved, among other things, the unwanted sending of pornographic material, requests for sexual acts or coercion and pressure to share sexual images and videos. 61.9 percent of those affected who have experienced sexualised violence in the real world have also experienced sexualised violence on social media.

Fear leads to silence

Over a third (37.4 percent) of those affected had not previously spoken to other people about the sexualised violence they had experienced. Those affected often reported feelings of shame and the fear that they would not be believed as the reason for this. ‘This shows that there is still a considerable amount of darkness and that there is often a lack of protected spaces in which people can openly talk about what they have experienced without having to fear negative consequences,’ says Dreßing.

Improving prevention and care

The study also clearly shows that the psychological well-being of those affected by sexualised violence is significantly worse than that of those not affected. ‘ It is important that we continue and advance research into the extent and contexts of sexualised violence. This is the only way we can really improve prevention concepts and targeted medical care for those affected,’ says Prof Dr Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, Director of the ZI and spokesperson for the DZPG Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm site.

DZPG spokesperson Prof. Dr Peter Falkai also emphasises the importance of the research: ‘In collaboration with the Central Institute of Mental Health and other partners, the DZPG has carried out truly pioneering work with this study. For the first time, the actual extent of sexualised violence in childhood and adolescence in Germany is becoming visible on the basis of a representative sample. Despite increased social awareness, there is an urgent need for action in this area. Sexualised violence is the tip of the iceberg of traumatising experiences in childhood and adolescence, which include other forms of physical and verbal violence as well as neglect. The DZPG is intensively investigating the connection between these experiences and mental illness at the various levels of prevention, early intervention, specific treatment and improved care and is also addressing the political players in their responsibility.’

Together with the survey institute infratest dimap, 10,000 people aged between 18 and 59 were contacted in a written survey throughout Germany. Just over 3,000 people took part in the survey. This response rate is high and allows reliable statements to be made.

Source: DZPG (in German)