Due to a variety of social, economic, and legal factors, women are disproportionately underrepresented in prison populations. According to the International Centre for Prison Studies, women comprise just 7.5 percent of all people in prison across the globe. In the United States, women constitute a mere 6 percent of the total incarcerated population. Research has shown that women are more likely to be incarcerated for status offenses (offenses that would not be considered crimes if committed by an adult) and drug offenses, while men are more likely to be imprisoned for violent offenses. Women also tend to be more likely to receive shorter sentences than men, and be held in pre-trial detention for longer periods. In addition, women face unique challenges in prisons, including a greater risk of being exposed to sexual assault than their male counterparts.