A recent study has raised alarms, revealing that one out of every 12 children is exposed to sexual exploitation and abuse on the internet, prompting a global call for intervention. Dr. Xiangming Fang, the lead author and research associate professor at Georgia State University’s School of Public Health, stressed the critical need for heightened awareness and action from both the public and policymakers. He noted that as digital technology evolves rapidly, particularly in developing nations, more children are at risk each day.
The study, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, analyzed data from 123 studies conducted between 2010 and 2023. Researchers examined the exposure of minors under 18 to various forms of sexual abuse, including online solicitation, sexual exploitation, extortion, and the nonconsensual creation and sharing of explicit images.
In 2023 alone, over 36 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation were filed, with many cases remaining unreported. Fang described the internet as a “crime scene,” where children are exploited approximately every second. This issue, he emphasized, is a preventable public health crisis that requires the same level of focus as other childhood health problems.
The study identified several types of online abuse, including sexual extortion, where victims are coerced into providing explicit content in exchange for money or resources. Advances in AI technology have made such abuse more prevalent, especially with deepfakes and other forms of digital manipulation. Educating children about these dangers and fostering open communication are key to prevention.
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