UNICEF: 1.5 Million Children in Pakistan Face Online Sexual Abuse

Bareen Media – Nearly 1.5 million internet-using children aged 12 to 17 in Pakistan experienced sexual abuse or exploitation through digital technology within one year, UNICEF says.

The figure is based on a joint study by UNICEF, ECPAT International and INTERPOL and represents about one in every 16 internet-using children in Pakistan.

Globally, UNICEF reported that around 20 million children aged 12 to 17 across 21 countries experienced some form of technology-facilitated sexual abuse or exploitation in the same period.

The report found that less than 1 percent of cases were reported to police, social workers or helplines, while more than 40 percent of affected children told no one about their experiences.

Children exposed to such abuse were also four times more likely to experience suicidal thoughts or behaviour and four times more likely to engage in self-harm. Their reported levels of anxiety were about 11 percentage points higher than those of their peers.

UNICEF has warned that online sexual abuse can have long-term effects on children’s education, relationships and daily lives, and has called for safer digital platforms, stronger accountability and better protection and reporting systems.