Report: 20 million children exposed to online sexual abuse in one year

An estimated 20 million children aged 12 to 17—almost one in five—were subjected to at least one form of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse in a single year across 21 countries, according to a new report by UNICEF.

“Through Children’s Eyes: How Digital Technologies Enable Child Sexual Abuse” combines children’s testimonies with one of the largest bodies of available survey data to warn of a widespread trend of child sexual abuse and exploitation, both online and offline, enabled by technology.

The report estimates that more than 15 million children were exposed to unwanted sexual content, nine million were asked to engage in sexual conversations or share sexual images against their will, and four million had sexual images of themselves shared without their consent.

However, the true scale of the problem is likely to be far higher because of underreporting by children.

“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,” she added.

According to the findings, nearly 60 per cent of cases took place on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and WhatsApp. Another 14 per cent occurred in online games, with the platforms’ features, functions and design being used to exploit trust, the report notes.

In Montenegro, more than 80 per cent of reported cases involved social media platforms, while in Colombia, social media was linked to more than half of the cases.

Across the countries surveyed, 57 per cent of cases involved someone the child already knew, including peers, romantic partners, friends and family members. This challenges assumptions that strangers are primarily responsible for online abuse.

At the same time, 38 per cent of children first encountered the perpetrator online, with evidence showing how abuse can be facilitated through fake accounts and private messaging features.

Technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse can have a profound impact on children’s emotional wellbeing, sense of safety and trust in others.

The experiences described by children during research interviews often focused on fear, shame, confusion and isolation, with many struggling to understand what had happened or where to seek help.

“I didn't know how to react... I felt a little in shock,” said a young woman from the Dominican Republic after private images were circulated without her consent when she was 14.

Another research participant, reflecting on a similar experience, said she felt “like the most used, the dirtiest, the worst person.”

Children subjected to technology-facilitated exploitation were four times more likely to report suicidal thoughts or behaviours and self-harm. They also reported significantly higher levels of anxiety, according to the analysis.

In Mexico and North Macedonia, for example, the risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviours was more than eight times higher among children who experienced abuse. In Pakistan, the risk of self-harm was more than seven times higher.

More than 40 per cent of cases of technology-facilitated abuse were never shared with anyone, while fewer than one per cent were reported to authorities such as the police, social workers or helplines.

Globally, the most common reason children remained silent was not knowing where to go or whom to tell.

In some surveyed countries, non-disclosure rates were even higher. In Armenia, for example, more than half of cases were never shared with anyone.

The findings point to an urgent need for action by governments, technology companies and other stakeholders to better protect children in the digital age.

The report recommends making digital platforms safer by design, with stronger privacy protections for children, restrictions on unsolicited contact from adults, safer recommender systems, and better detection and reporting of abuse.

It also calls for stronger laws, regulation and accountability, ensuring governments have the tools and enforcement measures needed to address evolving forms of abuse, including  sexual extortion and AI-generated sexual abuse material.

Other recommendations include building reporting and support systems that children can trust, alongside greater investment in child protection, health, justice and social services.

The report also calls for the burden of protection to be shifted away from children, ensuring that families, schools and communities respond to disclosures with support, help children seek assistance safely, and reduce the economic vulnerabilities that perpetrators exploit through stronger family support.

It further calls for action to address social and gender norms that normalise the sexualisation of girls and stigmatise survivors of sexual violence.

“All of us, including governments and technology companies, must do more to protect children online,” Russell said.