The findings of a new study on online sexual abuse of children in Pakistan are deeply worrying. Nearly one in 16 internet-using children aged 12 to 17 experienced some form of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation or abuse in a single year. That means about 1.5 million children may have been affected. The abuse includes unwanted sexual messages and images, requests for private pictures, sharing children’s images without their permission, sexual blackmail and threats. Artificial intelligence has also created new risks, including fake sexual images and videos. The timing of the report matters as much as its content. It was published at a time when many countries are debating whether children should be banned from, or restricted in, social media. However, the report shows that in 85 per cent of cases, the person abusing the child was someone the child already knew. Social media was involved in 44 per cent of reported cases. This means that, while restricting social media may help reduce some risks, particularly if social media companies fail to protect young users, a ban cannot be the whole answer.
Predators can be anywhere. They can be relatives, friends, acquaintances, teachers, neighbours or other people who have access to children. Technology may give them another way to contact and threaten their victims, but removing one platform will not remove the predators. This is why the focus must be on stopping abuse, not on restricting children. Children should certainly be taught how to stay safe online. Parents and schools also need better information about the risks. But children cannot be expected to protect themselves from adults who deliberately exploit them. Responsibility also lies with families, schools, technology companies, law-enforcement agencies and the justice system. Perhaps the most disturbing finding is that more than half of the children who experienced abuse did not tell anyone. None of those surveyed reported the abuse through formal channels such as helplines, social workers or the police. This silence shows that many children do not feel safe enough to ask for help.
Fear of shame, victim-blaming and a lack of trust in the police can prevent children and their families from reporting abuse. This must change. Children need safe, confidential and easily accessible ways to report what has happened to them. Pakistan also needs better-trained investigators and prosecutors who understand online crimes against children. Cases must be handled carefully to protect victims. Technology companies also have a responsibility. They need effective systems for reporting abuse, removing illegal material quickly and helping law-enforcement agencies investigate serious cases. At the same time, the government must ensure that Pakistan’s laws protecting children are properly enforced. Laws on paper are not enough if institutions lack the resources or capacity to use them effectively. In today’s world of rapid technological advancements, children should not have to choose between being connected and being safe. The adults and institutions around them must work to provide both.
