Shibbir Ahmed, New York — An estimated 20 million children aged 12 to 17—nearly one in five internet-using children—experienced at least one form of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation or abuse in a single year across 21 countries, according to a new report released by UNICEF.
The report, Through Children’s Eyes: How Digital Technologies Enable Child Sexual Abuse, highlights the growing risks children face through social media, online games, messaging services and other digital platforms.
UNICEF said more than 15 million children were exposed to unwanted sexual content, while about 9 million were pressured to engage in sexual conversations or share sexual images against their will. Another 4 million had sexual images of themselves shared without their consent.
Social media accounts for most cases
Nearly 60 percent of reported experiences occurred on mainstream social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and WhatsApp, according to UNICEF. Another 14 percent of cases occurred through online games, with perpetrators exploiting platform features and children’s trust.
The findings also challenge the perception that online abuse is primarily committed by strangers. UNICEF said 57 percent of cases involved someone the child already knew, including peers, friends, romantic partners or family members. At the same time, 38 percent of children first encountered the perpetrator online, including through fake accounts and private messaging.
Severe impact on children’s well-being
The report found that children who experienced technology-facilitated sexual exploitation or abuse were four times more likely to report suicidal thoughts or behaviours and self-harm, while also reporting significantly higher levels of anxiety.
In Mexico and North Macedonia, the risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviours was more than eight times higher among children who had experienced abuse. In Pakistan, the risk of self-harm was more than seven times higher.
Despite the scale of the problem, most cases remain hidden. More than 40 percent of children never told anyone about their experiences, while fewer than 1 percent of cases were reported to authorities, such as police, social workers or helplines. UNICEF said the most common reason children remained silent was that they did not know where to seek help or whom to tell.
21 countries covered by the research
The UNICEF research covered approximately 21,000 internet-using children aged 12 to 17, along with in-depth interviews with 100 young people who experienced abuse during childhood. The first round of research, conducted primarily in 2020–2021, covered Cambodia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mozambique, Namibia, the Philippines, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda and Viet Nam.
The second round, conducted in 2024–2025, expanded the research to Armenia, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Pakistan and Serbia. UNICEF stressed that because the survey included internet-using children, the findings represent internet-using children rather than all children, particularly in countries where internet access remains limited.
UNICEF calls for stronger online protection
UNICEF is urging governments, technology companies and other stakeholders to strengthen protections for children online. The agency called for safer digital platforms, stronger privacy protections, restrictions on unsolicited contact from adults, improved systems for detecting and reporting abuse, and stronger laws and accountability measures.
It also urged governments and communities to provide trusted reporting and support services so children can seek help safely. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said governments and technology companies must do more to protect children in digital spaces.
The findings come as children increasingly use digital platforms for education, entertainment and social interaction, making online safety an increasingly urgent child-protection issue.
