“The fight against child sexual abuse in Georgia continues to be characterized by numerous challenges and systemic problems,” states the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA). The country still lacks unified data on cases of violence against children and reports of such incidents, as well as precise statistics on how many cases of child abuse, including sexual violence, have led to investigations, according to a statement from the organization.
“Child sexual abuse has remained a problem in Georgia for many years. Issues regarding the prevention of child sexual abuse, victim support, proper detection and investigation of crimes, and coordinated policy have remained unresolved for years…
Certain indicators provide an overview of the scale of the problem. According to the report of the Public Defender (Ombudsman), in 2025, 176 cases of sexual violence, sexual exploitation, and other forms of child sexual abuse were identified or referred to the State Care Agency. In the same year, 189 children were recognized as victims of crimes against sexual freedom and inviolability.
On one hand, changes in child sexual abuse indicators may be linked not to a real increase or decrease in cases, but to the crime detection rate. However, it is important to note that available data on child sexual abuse have not changed significantly for many years, accompanied by persistent problems and unresolved issues on the part of the state.
Protecting children from sexual violence is an obligation of the state. The fight against child sexual abuse and exploitation requires comprehensive efforts that take into account Georgia’s international obligations and international standards. Unfortunately, despite certain positive steps, the fight against child sexual abuse in Georgia has for many years remained an area characterized by systemic problems. This is reflected in both national and international reports.
Particularly significant problems include the imperfection of the legislative framework, difficulties in detecting and reporting cases of violence, insufficient qualification of specialists, secondary victimization of victims during the investigation process, as well as a shortage of support and rehabilitation services. An additional challenge is the lack of coordination between agencies and the absence of a comprehensive policy and unified statistics,” the statement reads.
