WHO: two in three young Europeans say they have suffered abuse

Two in three young Europeans say they were victims of abuse, neglect, domestic violence or other similar adverse experiences during childhood, according to a report released by the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to the study, carried out among 26 thousand people aged between 18 and 30 in the European Union, Norway and Iceland, one in five respondents revealed having lived four or more types of adverse experiences in childhood.

Among them, 76.3% said they needed professional support in terms of mental health.

According to the results, the group is more likely to suffer violence, but also to exercise it, having frequently been the target of 'cyberbullying' during childhood. Data were collected between November 2025 and January 2026.

The WHO indicates that greater exposure to adverse childhood experiences increases the risk of dropping out of school, unemployment or living in low-income households. Respondents also tend to reveal less trust in others and a weak sense of belonging to the community.

“When a child grows up in an environment of violence or in a home in crisis, it should not surprise us that these experiences accompany them years later in school, in the job market and in their relationships”, said the director of Health Systems at WHO Europe, Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat.

She highlighted that this is not a problem that only affects a minority, nor just a mental health issue, but also a social and economic challenge that requires the intervention of several sectors in addition to health services.

Given the results, the WHO called for measures to combat the conditions that favor these situations, especially poverty, social exclusion and violence in communities.

The organization also recommended that health and social support systems, as well as education and justice, be able to identify and respond appropriately to people affected by childhood adversity, helping them to break the cycle before it is passed on to the next generation.