Newton Kariuki : “300M Children Victims of Online Exploitation”

• ONE IN EIGHT CHILDREN FACE HARM, WORLD’S FIRST GLOBAL ESTIMATE FINDS

• MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA HAVE MOST ALERTS FOR ABUSE MATERIAL

• CONCERNS IN EAST & SOUTHERN AFRICA AND WEST & CENTRAL AFRICA

• ONE CASE AROUND THE WORLD REPORTED EVERY SECOND

• INTERPOL WARNS OF “CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO WORLD’S CHILDREN”

• AFRICAN SURVIVORS DEMAND ACTION ON “GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCY”

LONDON, May 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A recent study conducted by the Childlight Global Child Safety Institute at the University of Edinburgh has uncovered alarming statistics regarding child sexual exploitation worldwide. The study, which is the first of its kind, estimates that over 300 million children globally are subjected to online sexual exploitation and abuse.

The report highlights that files containing sexual images of children are reported worldwide once every second, painting a grim picture of the prevalence of this issue. According to the researchers, approximately 12.6% of the world’s children have experienced non-consensual taking, sharing, and exposure to sexual images and videos in the past year, amounting to around 302 million young individuals.

Online Solicitation and Emerging Threats

In addition to the staggering numbers related to sexual exploitation, the study also revealed that 12.5% of children globally (300 million) were subjected to online solicitation in the past year. This includes unwanted sexual talk, non-consensual sexting, and other forms of online abuse by adults or peers. The report also highlights the growing threat of “sextortion” and the misuse of AI deepfake technology in perpetrating these crimes.

One survivor of child grooming emphasized the need for stronger regulations to hold tech platforms accountable, especially in light of the challenges posed by end-to-end encryption on popular social media apps.

Regional Disparities and Urgency of Action

The study found that the Middle East and North Africa region receive the highest number of alerts for Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) per population size, indicating a significant problem in that area. Additionally, online solicitation rates are notably high in East and Southern Africa as well as West and Central Africa, surpassing the global average.

Childlight CEO Paul Stanfield, a former Interpol Director, emphasized the urgent need to address this issue as a global health emergency. He stated, “Child abuse material is so prevalent that files are reported once every second. This is a global health pandemic that requires an immediate and coordinated response.”

Call for Action and Support

Survivors of child sexual exploitation and abuse are demanding action to combat this growing crisis. Newton Kariuki, a survivor from Kenya, shared his story and emphasized the importance of support and counselling for victims.

Timothy Opobo, Executive Director of The AfriChild Centre in Uganda, stressed the need for more data and research investment to effectively prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Conclusion

The findings of the Childlight study shed light on the alarming prevalence of child sexual exploitation globally. With calls for urgent action and support for survivors, it is clear that concerted efforts are needed to address this critical issue and protect the world’s children.

For more information and resources on child sexual exploitation and abuse, please visit Child Helpline International or Stop It Now.

Notes to editors:

A copy of the full report, videos, photos, and an infographic are available for download here.

Childlight is funded by the Human Dignity Foundation.

CONTACT: For more information and interview opportunities, please contact Jason Allardyce at Jason.allardyce@ed.ac.uk.