By 1944, most new workers were very young and under the age of 16 because those older were usually conscripted for service in Germany; 30% were as young as 12–14 years of age when taken from their homes.[1][2] The age limit reduced to 10 in November 1943.[2] Since about half of the adolescents were female, Ostarbeiter were often the victims of rape, and tens of thousands of pregnancies due to rape occurred.[5]