Around 1.5 million internet-using children aged 12-17 in Pakistan nearly one in 16 experienced at least one form of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation or abuse in a single year, according to a UNICEF-backed study released in September 2026.
The Disrupting Harm in Pakistan report, produced by UNICEF Innocenti, ECPAT International and INTERPOL with funding from Safe Online, found that 85% of perpetrators in incidents cited by children were people they already knew, while social media accounted for 44% of reported instances.
More than half of affected children did not tell anyone, with recent reporting putting the figure at 71%, citing shame, stigma and fears about family or societal reactions; none of the children surveyed reported their experiences through formal channels such as police, helplines or social workers.
The report also flags sexual extortion, blackmail and AI-generated sexual abuse material as emerging risks. At its Islamabad launch, UNICEF Representative Pernille Ironside called for stronger systems to prevent abuse and hold perpetrators and digital platforms accountable, while NCRC Chairperson Ayesha Raza Farooq called for legislative reform, child-centred justice mechanisms and accessible psychosocial support.
When Trust Becomes A Trap
The research shows that online abuse does not necessarily begin with an obviously threatening interaction. According to Daniel Kardefelt, lead author of the UNICEF research, perpetrators may initially approach children through friendly conversations, online gaming, gifts, money or romantic attention, gradually building trust before attempting to obtain sexual images or exert control.
The report records forms of abuse including unwanted sexual conversations or images, requests for intimate images, sharing children’s images without consent, sexual threats and blackmail, as well as AI-generated fake sexual images or videos.
In one case reported by AFP, a 17-year-old Pakistani girl, identified by the pseudonym Zara Shah, said she met a person while playing an online game. She said he initially behaved like a friend before asking for intimate images and later threatening to contact her family after she refused.
The report’s finding that 85% of perpetrators were already known to victims challenges the idea that online child sexual abuse is primarily a “stranger danger” problem.
UNICEF also estimates that around 74% of Pakistani children aged 12–17 use the internet, expanding both their opportunities for learning and connection and their exposure to digital risks.
Silence Hides The Scale
One of the report’s most concerning findings is how rarely children seek help. UNICEF says community stigma, victim-blaming, fear and a lack of trust in police can prevent children and families from reporting abuse.
Recent reporting on the study put the proportion of affected children who told nobody at 71%, while UNICEF’s official release says more than half did not disclose their experiences and none of the surveyed children reported them through formal avenues, including police, helplines or social workers.
The report also found that girls and boys experienced technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse at similar rates, although their experiences and barriers to disclosure can differ.
ECPAT International’s Andrea Varrella said stigma and expectations around masculinity can cause boys to be overlooked as victims. For girls, sexual extortion and threats to expose intimate material can carry additional consequences because of possible family and social repercussions.
NCRC Chairperson Ayesha Raza Farooq said Pakistan has an important legal foundation for protecting children, but the priority now is ensuring those protections translate into action.
At the report’s launch, NCCIA Deputy Director Muhammad Akram stressed the need for effective implementation of Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act to address online grooming, solicitation and cyber enticement.
Child Protection Institute Director General Rabeea Hadi also called for stronger case assessment, psychosocial support and community-level prevention.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Children should not have to choose between accessing the digital world and feeling safe within it. The UNICEF findings underline that online sexual exploitation cannot be addressed simply by telling children to avoid strangers or use the internet more carefully, particularly when most perpetrators identified in the study were already known to their victims.
The responsibility must be shared by families, schools, governments, law-enforcement agencies and technology companies through safer platforms, stronger reporting systems, child-sensitive investigations, accessible support services and greater digital awareness.
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