Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations of Sexual Violence Prevention Interventions in Educational Settings

Sexual violence (SV) is a critical public health challenge with long-term consequences for health, education, and social well-being. Educational settings—including primary, secondary, post-secondary non-tertiary, and tertiary education—provide key opportunities for early prevention efforts to reduce SV incidence. This systematic review aimed to identify and synthesize existing evidence on economic evaluations of SV prevention interventions in these settings. Twelve databases were searched for English-language articles published between 2000 and 2025. Eligible records included published economic evaluations and protocols of interventions targeting SV prevention. Reporting quality was assessed using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards 2022 checklist. All costs were standardized to 2024 USD for comparability. Of 35,647 records screened, 9 completed economic evaluations and 4 protocols met the inclusion criteria. Completed evaluations were conducted in the United States ( n = 5), United Kingdom ( n = 2), and Canada ( n = 2). Interventions were implemented across primary school ( n = 1), secondary school ( n = 7), and post-secondary non-tertiary institutions ( n = 1). Only one conducted a full cost-effectiveness analysis; the others reported partial economic data. Staffing and training were the main cost drivers, with six completed economic evaluations reporting personnel costs as more than half of total costs, whereas indirect and participant/family costs were rarely reported. The four protocols indicated growing attention to economic evaluation in this field. The review highlighted critical gaps in comprehensive economic evidence and underscored the need for robust cost-effectiveness studies to guide investment in SV prevention across different educational environments.