Report led by Scottish researchers shows one in four children manipulated into online sexual interactions

About one in four children is manipulated into sexual interactions online, according to a report led by Scottish researchers.

In what researchers have called a “worldwide health emergency”, the Childlight Global Child Safety Institute (GCSI) said 27% of children are groomed online, some of whom are pressured into sending inappropriate images.

Childlight, based at the University of Edinburgh, said 38.6% of girls and 19% of boys are affected before turning 18.

The institute also said one in ten children may face “sextortion”, a form of blackmail where intimate photos are shared online unless they agree to the perpetrator’s demands.

It also found evidence that about 1,500 people across more than 60 countries possessed “paedophile manuals” to evade justice.

Childlight also said more than 300 million children experienced some form of sexual exploitation online in the last year and added that, in 2024, more than 130 million experienced abuse offline.

The report, titled Into the Light Data Update, was launched on Tuesday at the World Health Assembly, Geneva, and called on governments to recognise the issue as a public health priority.

The report draws from representative population surveys, examining 147 studies from across 60 countries.

Professor Debi Fry, Childlight’s global director of data, who led the project, said: “The harms of childhood sexual abuse are not fleeting.

“For many victims they include trauma, anxiety, depression and self-harm that can last long into adulthood.

“Evidence indicates that it is a greater contributor to ill health among girls and women than widely recognised risk factors such as smoking, harmful alcohol use or lack of physical activity.

“Among boys it is a greater factor than poor diet. So, this is a worldwide health emergency – but it is preventable.”

Rhiannon-Faye McDonald was abused at the age of 13 after being approached online by a male perpetrator posing as a teenager.

She has waived her right to anonymity and today campaigns for better online safety through the Marie Collins Foundation.

She said: “These findings reflect what we see every day in our work with victims and survivors of technology-assisted child sexual abuse.

“The scale is deeply concerning, and the impacts are real and long-lasting.

“Framing this as a public health issue is essential. Health systems have a critical role to play in recognising harm early, responding appropriately and preventing further trauma – but that depends on children being identified and treated as victims within those systems.

“Without that recognition, opportunities for early support and prevention are too often missed.”