UNICEF: 20 million children face online sexual abuse

A new UNICEF report estimates that 20 million children aged 12 to 17, or one in five across 21 countries, have experienced technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse, with the true scale likely far higher due to underreporting. The report, based on survey data from two research rounds conducted between 2020 and 2025, found that over 15 million children were exposed to unwanted sexual content, and nine million were asked to engage in sexual conversations or share images against their will. Nearly 60 percent of recorded exploitation occurred on social media platforms, and 57 percent of cases involved perpetrators known to the children. Victims were four times more likely to report suicidal thoughts or self-harm, yet more than 40 percent of cases were never disclosed to anyone, and fewer than one percent were reported to authorities.