UNICEF: 1.5 million Pakistani children caught in online sexual exploitation

Around 1.5 million children in Pakistan were subjected to various forms of online sexual extortion and exploitation over the course of one year, according to a UNICEF report cited by AFP.

The study found that in 85% of cases, the perpetrators were known to their victims, who were aged between 12 and 17. They established contact through games and social media platforms, including Snapchat and WhatsApp, offered gifts or entered into romantic relationships, and then obtained personal material that they used to blackmail the children.

Meanwhile, 71% of victims did not tell anyone about what had happened, while none of those surveyed reported the incidents to police, social services or helplines. The main reasons cited included fear of public judgment, feelings of shame and possible punishment from their families.

Experts attribute the scale of the problem to economic vulnerability, gaps in legislation and inadequate law enforcement. Against this backdrop, lawmakers in Pakistan’s Punjab province adopted a resolution to ban social media use for people under 16. Human rights advocates criticised the initiative, pointing to the possibility of bypassing the restrictions through VPNs.

By Jeyhun Aghazada