ROMA (ITALPRESS) – According to a new report published by UNICEF, it is estimated that 20 million children and adolescents aged between 12 and 17 in 21 countries – or almost 1 out of 5 – were victims of at least one form of sexual exploitation and abuse facilitated by technology over a single year. “Through Children’s Eyes: How Digital Technologies Enable Child Sexual Abuse” (Through the eyes of children: how digital technologies favor sexual abuse on minors) combines the testimonies of children with one of the largest collections of survey data available to warn against a widespread tendency of abuse and sexual exploitation of minors – both online and offline – facilitated by technology. The report estimates that over 15 million children were exposed to unwanted sexual content, that at 9 million was asked to participate in sexual conversations or share sexual images against their will and that 4 million children have seen widespread sexual images that portrayed them without their consent. However, the real scope of the phenomenon is probably much wider due to the failure of children.
“The report reveals a painful reality. More than 20 million children in the countries covered by the study were exposed to explicit undesirable sexual content or forms of online exploitation, often in digital spaces where they learn, play and interact with friends,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF’s Director-General. “These experiences cause profound emotional and psychological discomfort. Many children suffer in silence, without knowing who to turn to ask for help. We cannot divert our gaze.”.
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(ITALPRESS).
