The global review evaluates interventions, laws and policies aimed at preventing childhood sexual violence victimization and perpetration.
BANGKOK (October 5, 2026) — Safe Futures Hub, in partnership with the University of Oxford’s Department of Social Policy and Intervention, launched today the child protection field’s first living systematic review. Presented through an interactive dashboard, the living systematic review brings together peer-reviewed evaluations published since 2018 of interventions, laws and policies aimed at preventing children from experiencing sexual violence and address its perpetration.
Unlike a traditional systematic review, which provides a snapshot of the evidence at a single point in time, the living systematic review is designed to grow and evolve as new research becomes available.
“1 in 5 girls and 1 in 7 boys experience sexual violence in childhood. We need to move beyond asking what works and start asking what can be scaled, for whom, and in which contexts,” said Nicolas Makharashvili, Director of the Safe Futures Hub. “This living systematic review puts the evidence at people’s fingertips: quick to navigate, easy to use, and designed to be updated as the evidence evolves. It gives practitioners, policymakers and funders a clearer picture of where the evidence is strong, where gaps remain, and where we need to invest next to prevent sexual violence against children at scale.
The interactive dashboard allows users – researchers and practitioners working in the field – to explore interventions, laws and policies to prevent and respond to childhood sexual violence, by country, age group, setting, and childhood sexual violence outcome (perpetration and/or victimization). The review notably includes evaluations of prevention efforts that found no effect, as well as those associated with increased reports of childhood sexual violence victimization and perpetration.
“As the evidence base in this field rapidly expands, there is an urgent need for research infrastructure that can systematically search for, appraise, and synthesize new research to ensure prevention remains evidence-based and inclusive,” said Bridget Steele, Departmental Lecturer in Evidence-Based Intervention and Policy Evaluation at the Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford. “Our living review approach provides a mechanism for practitioners, policy makers and researchers to access up-to-date evidence on the effectiveness of interventions, laws, and policies to prevent childhood sexual violence victimization and perpetration.”
Notes to editors
1 in 5 girls and 1 in 7 boys experience sexual violence in childhood (Source: Nature Magazine).
More information about the methods underpinning this evidence hub is available in the living systematic review protocol.
About the Safe Futures Hub
Safe Futures Hub is a joint field-building initiative of Together for Girls, WeProtect Global Alliance, and the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) focused on solutions informed by data, evidence, practitioner knowledge, lived experience, and community-led approaches to ending sexual violence against children. We work in partnership, understanding the urgent need for more collaboration, innovation, and diversity in order to combat this complex and horrific issue. Together, we know we can create a safer future for all children. Learn more at safefutureshub.org.
About the Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford
The University of Oxford’s Department of Social Policy and Intervention is a multidisciplinary centre of excellence for research and teaching in social policy and in the development and systematic evaluation of social interventions and policies. Learn more at https://www.spi.ox.ac.uk/home.
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