An estimated 1.5 million children in Pakistan experienced online sexual abuse within one year, according to a new UNICEF report.
The report highlights growing risks for children using social media, messaging apps and online gaming platforms.
One victim, identified by AFP as Zara Shah, said she was targeted while playing an online computer game. Her name was changed to protect her identity.
The 17-year-old said a stranger initially approached her during the game and gradually developed a friendly relationship with her.
“He began acting like a friend,” she said.
The conversation later turned sexual. The man allegedly asked her to send nude images and threatened to contact her family when she refused.
Zara said the threat forced her to remain silent.
She feared that revealing the incident could result in restrictions on her education and freedom.
“I could have been stopped from going to school or leaving the house altogether,” she said.
Most Perpetrators Known to Victims
According to UNICEF, around 85 percent of perpetrators were known to the victims surveyed.
The affected children were mainly between 12 and 17 years old.
UNICEF researcher Daniel Kardefelt said online abuse can begin with seemingly harmless interactions.
A perpetrator may approach a child through gaming, friendship, gifts, money or romantic attention.
They can then spend months building trust and collecting personal information from social media.
The report shows how online grooming can gradually develop into sexual exploitation, blackmail and coercion.
Many Victims Never Report Abuse
The UNICEF findings also highlight widespread underreporting in Pakistan.
Around 71 percent of victims did not tell anyone about their experiences.
None of the children surveyed reported the abuse through formal channels such as police, helplines or social workers.
Experts attributed the silence to shame, stigma and fear of family or social consequences.
For many children, the possibility of being blamed or punished can appear more frightening than the abuse itself.
WhatsApp and Snapchat Among Common Platforms
Mehek Naeem, director of Lahore-based children’s rights organisation PAHCHAAN, said about 44 percent of reported abuse occurred entirely online.
She identified Snapchat and WhatsApp among the platforms commonly involved.
Girls can face additional risks because sexual exploitation may lead to social restrictions and pressure from families.
Victims may fear being removed from school or losing freedom of movement if their families discover the abuse.
Millions of Children Are Online
UNICEF estimates that around 74 percent of Pakistani children aged 12 to 17 use the internet.
As internet access expands, child safety concerns are also increasing.
Pakistan has introduced laws addressing technology-facilitated crimes against children. However, child rights organisations say enforcement remains a major challenge.
Tahira Afrasiyab of Muslim Hands said existing protections face serious implementation problems.
Experts have also pointed to gaps in the legal framework.
Debate Over Social Media Restrictions
The issue has also intensified debate over children’s access to social media.
The Punjab government recently passed a resolution seeking to restrict social media access for children under 16.
Digital rights activist Usama Khilji opposed the proposed restriction.
He argued that children could potentially bypass such restrictions through tools such as VPNs. He also raised concerns about children’s freedom of expression.
The debate reflects the challenge of protecting children while maintaining their access to digital platforms.
Online Abuse Can Become a Wider Criminal Network
Human rights lawyer Salman Afridi said technology can facilitate multiple stages of exploitation.
These can include grooming, inducement, coercion, blackmail, production and distribution of sexual content.
He also warned that economic vulnerability can be exploited. In some cases, children may be pressured into producing sexual material in exchange for relatively small amounts of money.
The issue therefore extends beyond individual online encounters.
Experts describe an increasingly connected system in which digital platforms can be used to target, manipulate and exploit vulnerable children.
For Zara, the psychological impact continues long after the initial online interaction.
“I was, and am, scared,” she said. “I live in fear.”
