27May

Latest data shows that online sexual exploitation and abuse of children is widespread

Childlight’s Into the Light Into Data Update has been published, containing new global and regional estimates of the prevalence of technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and abuse.  You can see the data via an interactive dashboard: https://www.childlight.org/into-the-light and read it here

Main findings include:

  • Online sexual exploitation and abuse of children is widespread:Globally, around one in four children experience unwanted or pressured sexual interactions online, known as “online solicitation”. This refers to a range of such interactions, including grooming, that can occur via mobile phones or the internet and can lead to the exchange of intimate photos and videos.In Western Europe,nearly four out of ten people can expect to face this before the age 18, includinghalf of females and more than a quarter of males.  
  • ChildAbuse Guidance Material, advising perpetrators how to abuse children and how to evade justice, was detected in  61countries.
  • Nearly 1 in 10 children face sexual extortion, or blackmail, with prevalence estimated higher among girls.
  • The rateof child sexual abuse materialavailabilityremainshigh in Western Europe and North America,reflecting strong detection systems and hosting infrastructure rather than higher offending prevalence

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