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1.5 million children in Pakistan face online sexual abuse in a year
Around 1.5 million internet-using children in Pakistan experienced at least one form of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation or abuse in a single year, according to a new study by UNICEF, ECPAT International and INTERPOL.
The study, titled Disrupting Harm in Pakistan, found that nearly one in 16 internet-using children aged 12–17 had experienced online sexual abuse or exploitation during the period.
The findings challenge the perception that perpetrators are mostly strangers. In 85 per cent of reported incidents, the perpetrators were people the children already knew.
Social media accounted for 44 per cent of reported cases, with platforms such as Snapchat and WhatsApp among the common settings for abuse.
The forms of exploitation included unwanted sexual images or conversations, demands for intimate photographs, the sharing of children’s images without consent, and threats or blackmail involving sexual content.
The report also highlighted emerging risks linked to artificial intelligence, including the creation of fake sexual images and videos.
Fear, shame and social stigma prevent many victims from seeking help. According to the study, more than half of the affected children did not disclose their experiences to anyone, while none of the children surveyed reported the abuse through formal channels such as police, helplines or social workers.
The report calls for stronger child-protection systems, better enforcement of laws and safer digital platforms to prevent abuse and ensure that victims can access support.
UNICEF and its partners stressed the need for coordinated action by governments, law enforcement agencies, schools, families and technology companies to protect children from online sexual exploitation.
