20 million children a year face online sexual abuse, UNICEF says

What the report says

UNICEF says as many as 20 million children in 21 countries face online sexual abuse or exploitation each year, based on survey research published by the UN agency and reported by Al Jazeera. The findings cover internet-using children aged 12 to 17 in parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe, with the report released on Thursday.

According to the report, more than one in five children in the study were targeted on digital platforms. UNICEF said more than half of the abuse cases were facilitated through social media, and that most incidents were never reported to authorities. The agency also warned the figures may still understate the problem because children often do not disclose abuse, do not know where to report it, or fear consequences.

The research, based on nationally representative surveys from 2020 to 2025 and interviews with young people who experienced abuse, estimated that more than 15 million children were exposed to unwanted sexual content, nine million were pressured into sexual conversations or sharing images, and four million had sexual images shared without consent. UNICEF said the harm can lead to severe mental health impacts, including higher risks of anxiety, self-harm and suicidal thoughts.

The report places responsibility on governments and technology companies to redesign and regulate online spaces more effectively. It comes as major social media platforms face wider scrutiny over child safety, including recent legal and policy changes involving Meta, which Al Jazeera noted in its coverage.