1 in 12 children globally exposed to 'widespread' online sexual exploitation or abuse

One in 12 children in the world has been exposed to at least one form of online sexual exploitation or abuse, according to new research. 

This refers to online solicitation, online grooming, exposure to pornography, unwanted or 

pressured sexting, image-based abuse, sexual extortion, and sexual exploitation.

"There was a high degree of variation among the studies we examined, but they all point to the fact that the internet has become a crime scene, with children around the world exposed to immeasurable harm," Xiangming Fang, a research associate professor at Georgia State University and the new study’s corresponding author, told Euronews Next.

"I’m deeply concerned that the risk of online child sexual exploitation and abuse will only grow with greater internet access and smartphone use, particularly in developing nations," he added. 

Researchers based their findings, which were published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, on multiple databases and studies published between January 2010 and September 2023.

When considering childhood experiences across their lifetimes, the proportion of children reporting online abuse increased to one in six children or 16.6 per cent.

One in eight children reported being a victim of image-based abuse, meaning the non-consensual taking, sharing, and exposure to sexual images and videos, according to the metanalysis.

"These findings highlight the importance of targeted interventions, including education, regulation of online platforms, and improved safety measures to protect children from exploitation and abuse," Fang said, adding that the non-consensual sharing of sexual images, including deepfakes, has increasingly been reported.

Moreover, one in 28 children has been a victim of sexual