Over 300 million children face online sexual exploitation and abuse every year: Report

Over 300 million children under the age of 18 have been subjected to online sexual exploitation in the last one year, according to a report published in the Childlight global index of child sexual exploitation and abuse prevalence.

The report noted that in the last 12 months, one among eight children have experienced online solicitation globally where they were subject to unwanted sexual talk, which includes: non-consensual sexting, unwanted sexual questions and unwanted sexual act requests by adults or other youths.

"Our evidence must also serve as a wake-up call, that as many as one in nine men in parts of the world have sexually offended online against children – and that many would also go on to commit sexual contact offences with children if they believed it could be kept secret, Paul Stanfielf, the CEO of Childlight wrote, as he noted that "at least 300 million children per year are subjected to sexual exploitation and abuse"

The researchers also found that in the last one year, one among eight children have fallen prey to taking, sharing and/or exposure to sexual images and videos without any consent.

Moreover, 11 per cent, 7 per cent and 7.5 per cent of men in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia respectively engaged in behaviour that could be classified as child sexual abuse online.

"The numbers are huge. But behind every number is a child. Children across families, communities and schools, online and in person. Indeed, some of you reading this report are likely to be survivors of abuse yourselves," the report read.

While the report noted that there appears to be no "statistically significant difference" between the experience faced by girls and boys when it comes to child sexual abuse online, the data sources used for the research prove that girls appear more in materials that deal with child sexual abuse online.

The report called for child sexual exploitation and abuse to be treated as a global health pandemic.

"A public health approach to not just responding to but preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse is required; we owe that to our children."