One in five children exposed to sexual abuse online, UNICEF warns

About 20 million children aged between 12 and 17 in 21 countries have experienced sexual exploitation or abuse facilitated by technology, according to a new report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The report, released on Thursday, found that the figure represented about one in every five children within the age group surveyed.

Social media platforms were identified as a major channel for the abuse, accounting for nearly 60 per cent of recorded cases. The platforms included Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and WhatsApp.

UNICEF said more than 15 million children had been exposed to unwanted sexual content, while about nine million were pressured into sexual conversations or persuaded to share sexual images.

A further four million children had intimate images of themselves distributed without their consent, the report found.

UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell, said the findings highlighted the scale and seriousness of the problem.

“The report reveals a painful reality.

“More than 20 million children across the countries studied were subjected to unwanted explicit sexual content or exploitation online.”

Russell said the abuse was taking place in digital environments where children routinely study, socialise, play games and communicate with friends.

Online gaming platforms accounted for 14 per cent of reported exploitation cases, with UNICEF noting that some perpetrators exploited gaming features to establish relationships and gain children’s trust.

The report also found that 38 per cent of children first encountered their perpetrators online, with anonymity features on digital platforms sometimes helping offenders to conceal their identities.

In Montenegro, more than 80 per cent of reported cases of exploitation were linked to social media platforms.

The study further showed that perpetrators were known to the children in 57 per cent of cases across the 21 countries. They included peers, friends and family members.

Children who took part in the research described feelings of fear, shame, confusion and isolation after experiencing technology-facilitated sexual exploitation.

Many said the abuse affected their emotional wellbeing, sense of security and ability to trust other people.

“I didn’t know how to react. I felt a little in shock,” a young woman from the Dominican Republic said.

She recalled that private images of her were circulated without her permission when she was 14.

UNICEF said children who experienced technology-facilitated sexual exploitation were four times more likely to report suicidal thoughts, suicidal behaviours or self-harm.

They also recorded significantly higher levels of anxiety. In Pakistan, exploited children faced more than seven times the risk of self-harm compared with others.

Despite the scale of the problem, much of the abuse remained hidden. More than 40 per cent of cases were never disclosed, while less than one per cent were reported to the authorities.

UNICEF said uncertainty over who to approach for help was the most common reason children failed to disclose their experiences.

Russell said the consequences could be devastating.

“These experiences cause profound emotional and mental distress.

“Many children suffer in silence, unsure where to turn for help. We cannot look away.”

She urged governments and technology companies to take stronger action to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse in digital spaces.