The findings of a new study on the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children in Pakistan are deeply disturbing and demand urgent attention. Nearly one in every 16 internet-using children between the ages of 12 and 17 experienced some form of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation or abuse in a single year. If the findings are representative of the wider population, this could mean that around 1.5 million children were affected. Behind these figures are children who may have been subjected to unwanted sexual messages or images, pressured to send private photographs, had their images shared without consent, or faced sexual blackmail, threats and other forms of exploitation.
The rapid development of artificial intelligence has added another dangerous dimension to the problem. Technology can now be used to create fake sexual images and videos involving children, making it easier for perpetrators to humiliate, threaten or manipulate their victims. Such abuse can have devastating and long-lasting consequences for children, even when the material itself is fabricated. The emergence of these technologies makes it increasingly important for parents, schools, law-enforcement agencies and technology companies to understand how quickly the nature of online abuse is changing.
The timing of the study is also significant. Around the world, governments and policymakers are debating whether children should be banned from social media or face stricter age restrictions. While stronger safeguards on social media platforms may reduce some risks, the findings suggest that a blanket ban cannot be treated as a complete solution. In 85 per cent of the cases examined, the perpetrator was reportedly someone the child already knew. Social media was involved in 44 per cent of reported cases. These figures point to a much wider problem: children can be abused through technology by people who already have access to them in their everyday lives.
Predators can be relatives, friends, acquaintances, teachers, neighbours or other adults who come into contact with children. Digital platforms may provide them with additional opportunities to contact, manipulate and threaten their victims, but removing a particular platform will not remove the people who intend to exploit children. The policy focus, therefore, should be on preventing abuse and protecting children rather than simply restricting children’s access to technology.
This does not mean that children should be left without guidance. Young people need to understand the risks of communicating online, sharing personal information and responding to inappropriate requests. Parents and teachers should also receive practical information about warning signs and appropriate responses. But children cannot be expected to protect themselves entirely from adults who deliberately manipulate or exploit them. The responsibility must rest primarily with the adults and institutions capable of preventing abuse and responding to it.
Families, schools, technology companies, law-enforcement agencies and the justice system all have important roles to play. Perhaps the most troubling finding is that more than half of the children who experienced abuse did not tell anyone about it. None of those surveyed reported their experiences through formal channels such as helplines, social workers or the police. This silence is a warning in itself. It suggests that many children either do not know where to seek help or do not feel sufficiently safe and supported to speak about what has happened to them.
There are understandable reasons for this silence. Children and their families may fear social stigma, shame, victim-blaming or retaliation. Some may worry that reporting an incident will make the situation worse or expose the child to further humiliation. A lack of trust in law-enforcement institutions can also discourage victims from coming forward. These barriers must be addressed if Pakistan is serious about protecting children from sexual exploitation.
Children need reporting mechanisms that are safe, confidential, accessible and designed with their needs in mind. Reporting abuse should not require a child or family to navigate complicated procedures or repeatedly recount traumatic experiences. Institutions receiving complaints must be trained to respond sensitively, protect the child’s privacy and ensure that evidence is preserved without exposing victims to further harm.
Pakistan also needs stronger investigative and prosecutorial capacity to deal with technology-facilitated crimes against children. Investigators, prosecutors and judges must understand the nature of digital evidence and the methods used by online predators. At the same time, cases should be handled in ways that protect children from unnecessary exposure, intimidation and victimisation during legal proceedings.
Technology companies cannot escape responsibility either. Platforms used by children should have effective and easily understood systems for reporting abuse. Illegal sexual material involving children must be identified and removed as quickly as possible, while appropriate evidence should be preserved and shared with law-enforcement authorities in accordance with the law. Companies should also invest in stronger child-safety measures rather than relying solely on users to report abuse after it occurs.
The government, meanwhile, must ensure that laws designed to protect children are properly implemented. Having legislation on the books is not enough if institutions do not have the personnel, training, funding or technical capacity required to enforce it. Prevention, investigation, prosecution and victim support must work together as part of a coordinated child-protection system.
The debate over children’s use of social media should therefore be approached with care. Age restrictions and stronger platform safeguards may have a role to play, but they should not distract policymakers from the broader reality revealed by the study: much of the abuse originates in relationships and environments that children already know. A social media ban may change the way predators reach children, but it cannot eliminate the underlying threat.
Technology will continue to evolve, and so will the methods used by those who seek to exploit vulnerable children. Pakistan cannot afford to respond only after new forms of abuse become widespread. It needs prevention strategies, digital education, stronger institutions, responsible technology companies and a justice system capable of responding quickly and sensitively.
Children should not have to choose between being connected and being safe. In an increasingly digital society, access to technology is becoming an essential part of education, communication and social life. The responsibility for making that environment safer cannot be placed on children themselves. It rests with the adults, institutions and companies that have the power to prevent abuse, respond to it and ensure that every child has somewhere safe to turn when something goes wrong.
Shafaqna Pakistan
pakistan.shafaqna.com
Note: Shafaqna do not endorse the views expressed in the article
