An estimated 20 million children aged 12 to 17, or nearly one in five, experienced at least one form of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation or abuse in a single year across 21 countries, according to a new UNICEF report.
The report, titled “Through Children’s Eyes: How Digital Technologies Enable Child Sexual Abuse,” combines children’s testimonies with extensive survey data to highlight the widespread nature of sexual abuse and exploitation enabled by digital technology.
UNICEF estimates that more than 15 million children were exposed to unwanted sexual content, while around 9 million were pressured into sexual conversations or asked to share sexual images against their wishes. Another 4 million had sexual images of themselves shared without their consent.
The organisation warned that the actual scale of the problem is likely to be significantly higher because many children do not report their experiences.
Nearly 60% of reported cases occurred on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and WhatsApp, while 14% took place through online games. UNICEF said platform features such as private messaging, fake accounts and other design elements can be exploited to target children.
The findings also challenge the perception that online abuse is mainly committed by strangers. Around 57% of cases involved someone the child already knew, including peers, friends, romantic partners or family members. Meanwhile, 38% of children said they first encountered the perpetrator online.
The abuse was also associated with serious emotional and psychological consequences. Children who experienced technology-facilitated sexual exploitation were four times more likely to report suicidal thoughts or behaviours and self-harm, while also reporting significantly higher levels of anxiety.
UNICEF found that more than 40% of cases were never disclosed to anyone, while fewer than 1% were reported to authorities such as police, social workers or helplines. The most common reason for remaining silent was not knowing where to seek help or whom to tell.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell called for stronger action from governments, technology companies and other stakeholders to make digital environments safer for children.
The report recommends stronger privacy protections, restrictions on unsolicited contact by adults, improved systems for detecting and reporting abuse, stronger laws and enforcement, and more accessible child protection and support services.
UNICEF also called for families, schools and communities to provide supportive responses when children disclose abuse, while addressing social and economic vulnerabilities that perpetrators may exploit.
“Everyone, including governments and technology companies, must do more to protect children online,” Russell said.
