UNICEF study: 1 in 5 children face tech-facilitated sexual abuse

A new UNICEF study reveals that approximately 20 million children aged 12-17, or about one in five, experienced at least one form of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation or abuse within a single year across 21 countries studied. The report, titled "From Children's Perspectives," estimates over 15 million children received unwanted sexual content, while about 9 million were asked to engage in sexual conversations or share sexual images against their will. Nearly 4 million children had sexual images of themselves shared without consent. About 60% of cases occurred on social media platforms, and in 57% of cases, the perpetrator was someone the child already knew. The study found that over 40% of affected children told no one about the abuse, with only 1% reporting to authorities. Children who experienced such exploitation were four times more likely to report suicidal thoughts or self-harm. The research, conducted with ECPAT International and INTERPOL, surveyed approximately 21,000 children and included in-depth interviews with 100 young survivors.