The aim of the present review was to systematically identify and examine current knowledge regarding the frequency of any form of technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) perpetrated against women aged 16 years and older. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist was applied when performing the present review. Observational studies reporting prevalence data for any form of TFSV against women aged 16 years and above were considered for inclusion. Four meta-analyses were conducted. One examined data pertaining to overall TFSV, while the other three each addressed a key dimension based on the type of victimization under study. Random-effects models were used to compute pooled estimate prevalences (95% CI). Included studies reported prevalence in 32 different countries at different time points, with 28,220 women being interviewed (16-97 years). A total of 1,437 potential articles were gathered from 8 databases and 17 studies were selected for analysis. Included studies exhibited a low risk of bias (12 strong methodological quality-5 medium). Rates of TFSV ranged from 2.2% to 84%. Global estimated prevalence was 30.60% (95% CI [24.08, 37.12]). The most frequently reported behaviors pertained to "digital sexual harassment" (28.54%) followed by "technology-facilitated aggression and coercion" (16.93%) and "image-based sexual abuse" (6.48%). Present findings shed light on a significant gap in understanding the experiences of adult women. The wide range of reported frequencies underscores the importance of unifying terms and standardizing measurement instruments, emphasizing the need for a cohesive approach to better comprehend and address the multifaceted nature of TFSV.
Child sexual abuse, including sexual exploitation, is a global issue, affecting 8% to 31% of girls and 3% to 17% of boys worldwide. This systematic review aims to synthesize economic evidence on the cost-effectiveness of community interventions to prevent child sexual abuse/exploitation to inform decision-making. A systematic search was conducted on eight databases for studies published until April 2023. Gray literature was searched using Google. The inclusion criteria were economic evaluation of interventions targeted at children, perpetrators/offenders, or professionals addressing child sexual abuse/exploitation. There was no limitation by country, but an English language abstract was required for non-English articles. Studies without a specific focus on child sexual abuse/exploitation, such as physical, emotional, and domestic violence-related abuse, were excluded. All costs were adjusted to US$ 2023. Reporting quality assessment was conducted using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards 2022 checklist. Of 5,180 screened articles, 17 were included in the final synthesis, with most from the United States and focused on tertiary prevention delivered to offenders. While the intervention components varied across studies, all demonstrated promising and cost-effective results. The findings highlight a small but growing body of economic evidence for child sexual abuse/exploitation interventions. The existing economic evaluation evidence is dominated by tertiary prevention, which focuses on offenders and child victims and highlights the need for more research and action on primary and secondary preventative interventions for general and at-risk populations.