More than 300m children victims of online sexual abuse every year

Source: The Guardian Newspaper

Incident Overview:

• A global study reveals a staggering scale of online sexual exploitation and abuse, with over 300 million children affected annually.
• Researchers from the University of Edinburgh estimate that 12.6% of the world’s children experienced nonconsensual sharing and exposure to sexual content in the past year.
• About 12.5% of children faced online solicitation, including unwanted sexual talk, sexting, and requests for sexual acts.
• Offences also include “sextortion” and abuse of AI deepfake technology.
• The US is identified as a high-risk area, with one in nine men (nearly 14 million) admitting to online offenses against children.

Conclusion:

The first global study of its kind reveals a massive and alarming prevalence of online sexual exploitation and abuse among children, affecting over 300 million annually. The findings highlight the urgent need for comprehensive measures to protect children online, especially in high-risk areas like the US, where a significant number of men admit to committing such offenses. Addressing this crisis requires concerted efforts from governments, tech companies, and communities worldwide to safeguard children’s well-being in the digital age.

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Image source: The Guardian Newspaper