Research Shows Online Child Sexual Abuse Worsening; Nearly Half of Preschool Children Exposed to Harmful Content (AI Translation)

调研指网络性侵儿童加剧 近半数学龄前孩子接触过不良信息

The 2024 "Statistical Analysis of Child Sexual Abuse Cases and Survey Report on Anti-Sexual Abuse Education," released by the nonprofit Girls Protection, reveals a continued and troubling prevalence of child sexual abuse in China, with an increasing trend in online abuse and significant exposure of children to harmful internet content [para. 1]. In 2024 alone, 205 publicly reported child sexual abuse cases involved 690 victims, the majority of whom were girls, with the youngest victim being only three years old [para. 2]. Notably, over 80% of cases involved perpetrators known to the victims, such as teachers, school staff, coaches, and tutors, while both schools and online spaces were identified as frequent locations for offenses [para. 2][para. 6].

The report highlights a major data gap, as many cases go unreported due to various factors, meaning media reports "represent only the tip of the iceberg" [para. 3]. Official statistics from China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate confirm the severity, with 41,000 persons prosecuted for crimes involving sexual abuse of minors in the first eleven months of 2024—over 60% of total criminal cases involving minors [para. 3]. In the cases where geographic information was available, 66.92% occurred in urban areas, 23.53% in county towns, and only 9.56% in rural regions [para. 4]. The apparent urban predominance is attributed to greater awareness, attention, and media coverage in cities, rather than actual lower incidence in rural areas, where cases face higher barriers to discovery and legal resolution [para. 5].

Acquaintances, especially those in educational roles, constitute the majority of offenders. Of the cases with known relationships, 82.74% of perpetrators were acquaintances, and teachers or school staff were responsible for over 30% of such incidents [para. 6]. However, this is likely due, in part, to greater media attention on educators, not indicative that they are the majority of abusers nationwide [para. 6]. The report cites examples where teachers and tutors exploited their access to children for abuse, sometimes leading to severe consequences such as pregnancy and miscarriage for the victims [para. 7]. To prevent such crimes, Girls Protection calls for stricter oversight and ethics training for educators, more robust institutional reviews, comprehensive governance, and stronger family-based prevention and early warning measures [para. 8].

Schools and related facilities remain the most common venues for in-person abuse, with 22.22% of incidents occurring on educational premises, 16.05% at perpetrators’ residences, and 14.81% in entertainment or recreational venues such as hotels or massage parlors [para. 9]. The report underscores the importance of enforcing background checks and mandatory reporting requirements for those working with minors [para. 9]. UNICEF’s Su Wenying notes that while China has put campus sexual assault prevention laws in place, there is a lack of clarity and practical guidance for implementation at the school level [para. 10].

Online sexual abuse is a growing issue, accounting for 21.46% of reported cases in 2024. Such crimes are often complex, involving both remote and offline abuse, frequently facilitated by offenders’ use of fake identities on social media and gaming platforms [para. 11]. Of the online cases, 90% involved repeated offenses, some over several years, and in some cases, victim numbers reached into the dozens [para. 12]. Girls Protection attributes the problem to children’s lack of self-protection awareness, insufficient platform monitoring, and a lack of sex education and open communication, which together create conditions for long-term, concealed abuse [para. 13].

Their survey of 2,592 parents found that nearly half (47.87%) of preschoolers had been exposed to inappropriate online content, and awareness among both children and parents about online sexual violence prevention remains inadequate [para. 14][para. 15]. The survey showed parents are concerned, but around 40% lack the basic ability to recognize or respond to online sexual abuse [para. 15]. Experts argue that media literacy education is critical for children's self-protection and can significantly reduce their online risk [para. 16]. [para. 1][para. 2][para. 3][para. 4][para. 5][para. 6][para. 7][para. 8][para. 9][para. 10][para. 11][para. 12][para. 13][para. 14][para. 15][para. 16]