Seoul: Sexual abuse is so common in North Korea "it has come to be accepted as part of ordinary life," Human Rights Watch has asserted in a report on sexual violence in the reclusive country.

North Korean officials including high-ranking party members, prison guards, police, prosecutors and soldiers commit sexual abuse "with little concern for the consequences," the rights watchdog said in the report published on Wednesday.

Women are routinely abused in North Korea, according to Human Rights Watch. Credit:AP

Afraid of retaliation or social disgrace, women rarely report abuse and authorities rarely investigate or prosecute such cases, according to HRW, which said it interviewed 54 North Koreans who had fled the country since 2011 and eight former North Korean officials.

Most of the assaults reported to HRW took place when the victims were in custody or when the victims were market traders who were attacked by market guards or other officials.