UNICEF: One in five young people experienced sexual harassment online in the past year

A new report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reveals that digital sexual abuse against children and teenagers has become a mass phenomenon. Based on a representative survey conducted in 21 countries, UNICEF found that one in five young people between the ages of 12 and 17 experienced some form of online sexual harassment in the past year alone.

Key findings

The report, which was made available to Deutsche Welle ahead of its official release, paints a detailed picture of how such incidents typically unfold. "It often begins without warning," the authors write. "A conversation becomes coercion, and coercion becomes a trap." Contrary to the common assumption that online predators are always strangers, the data tells a different story: 57% of perpetrators were already known to their victims — as friends, family members, or romantic partners. In 27% of cases, victims could not identify who was behind the profile.

Platforms as gateways

Social media platforms account for 60% of all reported incidents, with Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok among the most frequently cited. Perpetrators are not always adults — minors themselves are responsible for a significant share of incidents. In many cases, abuse does not remain confined to the digital realm but crosses over into the physical world as well.

Industry response

The report coincides with a landmark settlement in the United States: Meta agreed to pay approximately 14.3 billion euros to US states that had sued the company over harms to minors. As part of the settlement, Meta committed to limiting teenagers to two hours per day on its platforms, with nighttime access blocked entirely. The UNICEF findings add urgency to calls for binding international standards on platform safety, particularly where minors are concerned.