The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says 20 million children aged 12 to 17 across 21 countries experienced technology-facilitated sexual exploitation.
UNICEF disclosed this in a report released on Thursday, revealing that one in five children in the age group was affected.
Nearly 60 per cent of recorded cases occurred on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and WhatsApp.
The report said more than 15 million children were exposed to unwanted sexual content, while nine million were pressured into sexual conversations or sharing images.
Another four million children had sexual images of themselves shared without their consent, according to the analysis.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, said: “The report reveals a painful reality.
“More than 20 million children across the countries studied were subjected to unwanted explicit sexual content or exploitation online.”
Russell said such abuse often occurred in digital spaces where children learn, play and connect with friends.
UNICEF said 14 per cent of recorded exploitation cases occurred through online games, whose features were sometimes exploited to build trust.
According to the report, 38 per cent of children first encountered perpetrators online, while anonymity features facilitated abuse.
In Montenegro, more than 80 per cent of reported exploitation cases involved social media platforms.
Across the 21 countries studied, 57 per cent of cases involved perpetrators known to the children, including peers, friends, and family members.
Children interviewed by researchers reported fear, shame, confusion and isolation following technology-facilitated sexual exploitation.
They also described significant impacts on their emotional well-being, sense of safety and ability to trust others.
“I didn’t know how to react. I felt a little in shock,” a young woman from the Dominican Republic said.
She recalled how private images were circulated without her consent when she was 14 years old.
UNICEF said children experiencing technology-aided sexual exploitation were four times more likely to report suicidal thoughts, behaviours and self-harm.
The children also reported significantly higher levels of anxiety, while Pakistan recorded more than sevenfold higher self-harm risks among exploited children.
More than 40 per cent of technology-facilitated abuse cases were never disclosed, while fewer than one per cent were reported to authorities.
UNICEF said the most common reason for non-disclosure was children’s uncertainty about whom to tell.
Russell said, “These experiences cause profound emotional and mental distress.
“Many children suffer in silence, unsure where to turn for help. We cannot look away.”
Russell called on governments and technology companies to strengthen measures protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse online.
