One in Five Children Across 21 Countries Endure Tech-Facilitated Sexual Abuse: UNICEF Report

New york: About 20 million children aged 12 to 17 - one in five across 21 countries - were sexually exploited by perpetrators using technology such as social media, according to a UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) report released on Thursday. Nearly 60 percent of these cases occurred on social media platforms, with many children unable to report the abuse they suffered. According to United Nations, the report highlights a distressing reality as more than 15 million children in this age group were exposed to unwanted sexual content. Additionally, nine million were coerced into engaging in sexual conversations or sharing sexual images against their will, and four million had sexual images of themselves distributed without their consent. UNICEF suggested that the actual figures could be significantly higher. The report unveils the harsh truth, as expressed by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, emphasizing that over 20 million children in the surveyed countries were subjected to unwanted explicit sexual con tent or exploitation online. These incidents often occur in digital spaces where children are meant to learn, play, and connect with friends. A significant proportion of exploitation, nearly 60 percent, took place on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and WhatsApp. The features of these platforms are often manipulated to exploit trust, with 14 percent of abuse cases happening in online gaming environments. In Montenegro alone, over 80 percent of reported cases involved social media. Children's encounters with abusers often begin online, with 38 percent of victims first meeting perpetrators in digital spaces. The report found that 57 percent of exploitation cases involved known individuals, such as peers, friends, and family members, further complicating the ability of children to seek help. The emotional and psychological consequences of such exploitation are severe. Interviews with affected children revealed impacts on their emotional wellbeing, sense of safety, and trust i n others. Many described feelings of fear, shame, confusion, and isolation. A young woman from the Dominican Republic recounted the shock she felt at age 14 when private images were circulated without her consent. Technology-facilitated sexual exploitation significantly raises the risk of self-harm among children. Those who experienced such abuse were four times more likely to report suicidal thoughts or behaviors. In Pakistan, the risk of self-harm was found to be more than seven times higher among exploited children. Despite the profound distress caused by these experiences, over 40 percent of tech-facilitated abuse cases were never shared with anyone, and less than one percent were reported to authorities. The primary reason for silence was children's uncertainty about whom to tell. UNICEF's Chief, Ms. Russell, stressed the urgent need for action, asserting that many children suffer in silence, unsure where to turn for help. The report calls for concerted efforts from stakeholders, including governments and technology companies, to better protect children online. To address these issues, researchers have urged tech companies to implement stronger protections for children and enhance their reporting systems. Governments are called upon to strengthen accountability and enforcement mechanisms, while societies are encouraged to confront harmful gender norms that normalize the sexualization of girls and stigmatize survivors of sexual violence.