Children and adults alike are using internet more frequently and in abundance as compared to pre-Covid-19 days, that has led to rise in sexual abuse and exploitation cases online, an Emirati doctor has noted.

The 2021 Global Threat Assessment report by WeProtect Global Alliance highlights that the pandemic has greatly led to a significant increase in child sexual exploitation and online abuse. The experts across the world have urged for an immediate change.

Dr Adil Sajwani, a family medicine specialist at Fakeeh University Hospital, has called this finding a cause for extreme concern. He has urged parents to keep an eye on and monitor children's internet activity and an changes in behaviour to avoid online abuse chances. "The online sexual abuse in children has increased during Covid 19 pandemic, as people were glued to their phones due to lockdown. Children land into suspicious websites, which are easily accessible nowadays. These webpages manipulate them to perform sexual activity by sending inappropriate content," he said.

Kids between nine and 12 years of age are most likely to be a target to online sexual abuse. "These young children get into relationship online and get trapped. Both boys and girls are at risk,” Dr Sajwani said. “Children seek love from their parents. If they don’t receive it within their family and do not share a healthy family bond, they tend to seek love from outside,” he said highlighting the underlying reason.

According to report, past two years have seen highest levels of increase in reporting of online child sexual exploitation and abuse online. Speaking on this issue, Lt-Col Dana Humaid, director-general of the International Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Interior, said, “The challenge of sexual exploitation and abuse online is a crime of global magnitude and requires collaborative and multi-disciplinary efforts to combat and end it.” 

She added: “We consider the launch of the Global Threat Assessment report 2021 as an opportunity to reflect and prioritize efforts and engage with the international community and share our experiences and practices. This report can be used by governments to guide their efforts."

Dr Sajwani said sexual exploitation can take a toll on child’s mental health. They're likely to suffer from mental health problems, indulge in sexual behaviour, get pregnant at an early age, have trust issues, develop a fear of new relationship, engage in self-harm or criminal behaviours, and isolate themselves from their families.

Social stigma surrounding such topics should be prevented as this stops children from communicating the abuse. "Signs such as behavioural changes like child acting older to his/her age, kids missing sometime frequently, returning home late, using social media for long time and not spending much time at home — parents must watch out for these acts,” Dr Sajwani said.

He also urged parents to be vigilant about the gifts received by children, talking about boys or girls, and getting involved in such behaviours. He added that media, in particular, promotes sexual content, that is harmful for children.

"We have many policies regarding sexual content, but a strict enforcement is required to put an end to this," Dr Sajwani said.