Key Facts About Sexual Violence

A few facts about sexual violence in Quebec

Data drawn from a survey conducted by Synopsis from November 10 to 24, 2025, among 1,000 adults on behalf of Marie-Vincent and the Marie-Vincent Interuniversity Research Chair in Child Sexual Abuse. This survey aimed to document, in the current context, the prevalence and consequences of childhood sexual violence among Quebecers.

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Who are the youth supported by Marie-Vincent?

There is no typical profile, as sexual violence affects all social backgrounds. The literature indicates that the vast majority of victims are girls — this is also the case for youth receiving services at Marie-Vincent. Based on data from our Research Chair, compiled from youth seen between 2017 and 2025 who participated in our Chair’s evaluation:

– Youth receiving services at Marie-Vincent know their perpetrator:

For children aged 6 to 12, all were assaulted by someone known to them, of whom 75% are members of the immediate or extended family.
For teens aged 13 to 17, this figure stands at 91%, of whom 54% are members of the immediate or extended family.

– 89% of youth followed at Marie-Vincent experienced severe to very severe assaults, including touching under clothing, attempted penetration, or penetration. These assaults can generate complex trauma requiring specialized services over an extended period.

What is Sexual Violence?

Sexual violence is a broad term that encompasses all forms of physical or psychological violence of a sexual nature, including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, online sexual violence, child luring, juvenile prostitution, pimping and female genital mutilation. Regardless of the form it takes, sexual violence has serious consequences for victims, their loved ones, and society as a whole. It can happen to children and teenagers from all social backgrounds and cultures.

What is Sexual Assault?

Sexual assault includes:

Any act of a sexual nature, with or without physical contact.
An act committed without the victim’s consent or through emotional manipulation or coercion.
An act that subjects a person to another’s desires through an abuse of power, the use of force, coercion, or explicit or implicit threats.
A violation of fundamental rights, including physical or psychological integrity and personal safety.

Sexual assault can involve one or multiple sexual acts, such as:

Touching
Sexual kissing
Masturbation
Oral-genital contact
Penetration or attempted penetration
Other sexual activities
Exhibitionist behaviour
Voyeuristic behaviour

What is Sexual Exploitation?

Sexual exploitation includes various situations where an adult or older teenager takes advantage of a younger child or adolescent for sexual purposes in exchange for some form of gain, whether financial or otherwise. Exploiters often take advantage of the victim’s vulnerability or dependence, using force, power, manipulation, or threats to lure them.

Forms of sexual exploitation include: pimping, human trafficking for sexual exploitation, child and juvenile pornography, online sexual violence, and child luring.

What is Child Luring?

Child luring occurs when a person grooms and manipulates a minor under 18 years old, using the internet or digital technologies, with the intention of committing a sexual assault.

What is Online Sexual Violence?

Online sexual violence is a form of sexual violence that takes place using digital communication technologies, such as the internet, social media, and text messaging. It may involve sexual advances, attempts to obtain sexual favours or relationships, and the dissemination of sexual messages, photos, or videos. Online sexual violence can take different forms.

Cyberstalking

When a victim is harassed through emails, texts, or social media, their online communications are monitored or disrupted, and they feel threatened.

Sextortion

When a young person is blackmailed with the threat of having their sexually explicit images or personal information shared online.

Virtual sexual assault

When a young person is subjected to continuous threats of sexual violence online.

Cyberpredation and online exploitation

When adults or teenagers communicate with children online with the intention of committing a sexual offence.

Non-consensual sharing of intimate images

When intimate images of a person are shared, transmitted, or made accessible to others without their consent, causing a loss of control over the images.

What is female genital mutilation?

Female genital mutilation (FGM) refers to any procedure that involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. Terms such as excision, infibulation, and genital cutting are also used to describe these practices. Various types of FGM are performed for cultural or social reasons.

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