UNICEF report released on September 3rd revealed that in 21 countries surveyed, an estimated 20 million children aged 12 to 17, almost one-fifth of the total, who use the internet, have experienced at least one form of online sexual exploitation or abuse in a year. More than half of these incidents occurred on mainstream social media platforms.
Entitled “Through Children’s Eyes: How Digital Technologies Enable Child Sexual Abuse”, the report covered 21 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, based on surveys of around 21,000 internet-using children between 2020 and 2025.
The report estimated that over 15 million children have been exposed to unwanted sexual content; about 9 million have been asked to engage in sexual conversations or share intimate images against their will; and approximately 4 million children have had their intimate images distributed without consent.
The investigation revealed that nearly 60% of these incidents occurred on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and WhatsApp, with another 14% happening in online games.
Around 57% of the incidents involved individuals known to the children, including peers, romantic partners, friends, or family members. 38% of the victims first encountered the perpetrators online, with some using fake accounts and private messages to approach children.
Over 40% of those affected never disclosed their experiences to anyone, and less than 1% reported to authorities such as the police, social workers, or helplines. One of the main reasons children remain silent is not knowing who to turn to for help.
UNICEF’s Executive Director Catherine Russell expressed that many children who have experienced harm suffer severe emotional and psychological stress and are unsure where to seek assistance.
The report recommends that governments and tech companies strengthen child online safety measures, including enhancing platform privacy settings, restricting adults from initiating contact with minors, improving content recommendations and identifying mechanisms for harmful behaviors, as well as enhancing reporting and assistance channels.
This survey is part of the “Disrupting Harm” multinational research project, jointly implemented by UNICEF, ECPAT International, and INTERPOL. The report integrates data from two rounds of surveys conducted across 21 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. The first round took place between 2020 and 2021, covering 12 countries, while the second round was conducted between 2024 and 2025, covering an additional 9 countries.