UNICEF warns of online sexual abuse crisis

UNITED NATIONS (IPS):

Nearly one in five children surveyed across 21 countries reported experiencing technology-facilitated sexual abuse or exploitation within a single year, according to a new UNICEF report that highlights the growing dangers children face online.

The report, Through Children’s Eyes: How Digital Technologies Enable Child Sexual Abuse, examines how digital platforms have become embedded in everyday life while creating new risks for children, particularly those living in conflict zones or other protracted crises.

UNICEF argues that persistent failures by technology companies and governments, widespread underreporting, and inadequate protection systems have allowed online sexual exploitation to flourish. The result, it says, is lasting harm for millions of children and a culture of impunity for offenders.

“More than 20 million children across the countries studied were subjected to unwanted explicit sexual content or exploitation online, often in the digital spaces where they learn, play, and connect with friends,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

“These experiences cause profound emotional and mental distress. Many children suffer in silence, unsure where to turn for help. We cannot look away.”

The report found that children subjected to technology-facilitated abuse were about four times more likely to report self-harm, suicidal thoughts and behaviours, and heightened anxiety.

Social workers and psychologists interviewed by UNICEF also reported numerous cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among victims. The condition can affect children’s ability to trust others, form relationships, perform at school, and avoid substance abuse or other risky behaviours.

Social media accounted for an estimated 60 per cent of cases recorded by UNICEF, while 14 per cent occurred through online gaming platforms. Around half of all social media-related cases took place on Facebook, with significant numbers also linked to WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok.

SILENT EPIDEMIC

The report found that 57 per cent of cases involved perpetrators already known to the victim. In nine of the 21 countries surveyed, the perpetrator was another child.

UNICEF cautioned that the true scale of the problem is likely far greater than reported figures suggest. Fewer than one per cent of cases were reported to law-enforcement authorities or support services, while about four in 10 victims never disclosed their experiences to anyone.

The findings echo concerns raised in Jamaica, where a recent National Study on Social Media Use and the Protection of Children found that one in four caregivers reported children under their supervision had been exposed to sexual content or grooming attempts linked to social media.

Children often remain silent because they fear not being believed, worry about harassment or stigma, or are unaware of support services available to them. UNICEF said these barriers help shield perpetrators from accountability and increase the risk of further abuse.

Girls, in particular, are often blamed or shamed by their communities after experiencing online sexual abuse, especially in societies with deeply entrenched patriarchal norms.

BOYS OVERLOOKED

Boys who disclose experiences of online sexual abuse frequently encounter a different challenge: their experiences are often minimised and they are expected to cope in silence. Perpetrators may also threaten to reveal, or falsely suggest, a boy’s sexual orientation as a form of coercion or extortion.

While online sexual exploitation affects children across all countries and income levels, UNICEF said economic hardship can heighten vulnerability. Children living in conflict-affected or crisis-stricken environments face particular risks because support systems and child-protection services are often stretched or absent.

Daniel Kardefelt-Winther, head of UNICEF’s research programme on Children and Digital Technologies and lead author of the report, said vulnerability is shaped by a combination of economic circumstances, social relationships and access to support services.

“Perpetrators may exploit the economic hardship some children face by offering money or gifts in exchange for sexual images or videos,” says Kardefelt-Winther.

“Economic need can make it difficult for children to refuse these offers, while some may not initially recognise the experience as abuse precisely because money or other benefits are being provided in return.”

He noted that online abuse can spill into the physical world, creating direct threats to children’s safety. Some victims reported being persuaded or coerced into meeting strangers in person, only to be sexually abused. Others were blackmailed with intimate images and pressured into face-to-face encounters.

In response to mounting concerns, several countries have introduced or proposed restrictions on minors’ access to social media. Australia adopted new measures in December 2025, while Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates have pursued similar initiatives during 2026.

Although Jamaica was not included in the survey, the findings resonate with a growing debate at home over children’s online safety. The recent study found strong public support for regulating minors’ use of social media, prompting the Government to examine measures including age-based restrictions. Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has said recommendations will be taken to Cabinet for consideration.

Kardefelt-Winther said governments were right to be concerned about risks such as online bullying and sexual exploitation but cautioned against relying solely on age restrictions.

“Children are growing up in a digital world that was not designed with their rights, safety and well-being in mind … . Age restrictions may play a role in keeping children safe, but on their own they do not address the underlying drivers of harm. They may even push children into less regulated spaces,” he said.