# 20 million children a year face online sexual abuse, UNICEF says

https://mins.news/en/item/44028

- Al Jazeera, 2026-09-03 15:51 UTC
- Health
- Original: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/3/20-million-children-a-year-face-online-sexual-abuse-unicef-says?traffic_source=rss

> UNICEF says up to 20 million children in 21 countries experience online sexual abuse or exploitation each year. More than one in five internet-using children aged 12 to 17 were targeted on digital platforms, while social media facilitated over half of cases and less than 1 percent were reported to authorities.

## Related coverage

- [UNICEF: 1 in 5 children in 21 countries face sexual abuse linked to online contact](https://mins.news/en/item/43470) — TRT World, 2026-09-03
- [UNICEF estimates 20 million children suffered online sexual abuse in one year](https://mins.news/en/item/43173) — Reuters, 2026-09-03
