Over 300 million children victimised by online sexual abuse annually

Over 300 million children worldwide fall victim to online sexual exploitation and abuse each year, research suggests.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh found that 12.6 per centof the world's children have been victims of nonconsensual communication, sharing, and exposure to sexual images and videos over the past year, equating to approximately 302 million young people.

Around 12.5 per centhad been subject to online solicitation, such as unnecessary sexual talk that can include sexting, sexual questions and sexual act requests by adults or other youths.

The research also suggested that the US is a particularly high-risk area. The University of Edinburgh's Childlight initiative, which aims to understand the prevalence of child abuse, includes a new global index revealing that one in nine men in the US—equivalent to nearly 14 million—have admitted to online offences against children at some point.

The surveys further found that 7 per centof British men, equivalent to 1.8 million, admitted the same.

The chief executive of Childlight, Paul Stanfield, said, “This is surprising that UK alone equates to forming a line of male offenders that could stretch all the way from Glasgow to London – or filling Wembley Stadium 20 times over."

“Child abuse material is so widespread that files are on average reported to watchdog and policing organisations once every second. This is a global health pandemic that has stayed hidden for far too long. It happens in every country, it’s growing exponentially, and it requires a global response,” Stanfield added.

“An urgent action needs to be taken and treat it as a public health issue that can be prevented. Children can’t wait.”

Stephen Kavanagh, the executive director of Interpol, said, “We must do much more together at a global level, including specialist investigator training, better data sharing and equipment to effectively fight this pandemic and the harm it inflicts on millions of young lives around the world."

Grace Tame, a child sexual abuse survivor and founder of the Grace Tame Foundation, emphasised the necessity of a centralised global research database to safeguard children.

(With inputs from agencies)