1.5 million Pakistani children faced online sexual abuse in a year: UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that 1.5 million Pakistani children were sexually abused online in a year and encouraged parents to check children’s access to digital platforms rigorously.

UNICEF has cautioned against giving children free access to internet platforms and underlined the necessity of proper parental monitoring.

The organization said 57% of impacted youngsters did not report their experiences citing humiliation, fear of their families’ reactions and concerns about social stigma.

UNICEF has cited the production of phony photographs and videos of children using artificial intelligence (AI) as a new hazard.

Social media was the source of 44% of reported cases of online harassment, the organisation’s study report showed. In 85% of the incidents reported, the suspected attacker was known to the children impacted.

The report highlighted key kinds of internet sexual abuse as sending youngsters improper images and communications, asking for private photographs, sharing images and blackmailing victims.

UNICEF appealed to fill the gaps of Pakistan’s legal system, improve the investigations and strengthen the child protection systems. It also highlighted the necessity for secure routes to report abuse.