Poll reveals 80pc of teenagers worldwide fear online sexual abuse and exploitation

Eight out of ten 18-year-olds worldwide believe young people are in danger of being sexually abused or taken advantage of online, a Unicef study suggests.

The poll on unwanted sexual comments, harassment and bullying online was run by Ipsos, which interviewed more than 10,000 teenagers from 25 countries. More than half of respondents said their friends participated in risky behaviour while using the internet.

“The poll findings show just how real the risk of online abuse is for girls and boys,” said Unicef’s associate director of child protection, Cornelius Williams. “Globally, one in three internet users is a child.

“Although online violence and exploitation is a reality in the lives of children worldwide, many children do not have the necessary knowledge or resources to sufficiently protect themselves. Digital safety should be included in curricula and parents need to talk to their children about staying safe online and what to do if they or a friend find themselves in trouble.”

Children are at risk of cyberbullying, sextortion – in which victims are blackmailed by threatening to post explicit images of them on the internet – and online sexual abuse.

An investigation by the Guardian last month found that tens of thousands of children in the Philippines were believed to be victims of live-streaming abuse, in which they are made to perform live sex shows for predators abroad. The abuse is often carried out by their parents.