THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Most youngsters believe young people are in danger of online sexual abuse: UN poll

Most youngsters believe young people are in danger of online sexual abuse: UN poll

Eight out of 10 18-year-olds believe young people are in danger of being sexually abused or taken advantage of online, and more than five out of 10 think friends participate in risky behaviours while using the Internet, a new Unicef study shows.

The study, “Perils and Possibilities: Growing up Online”, is based on an international opinion poll of more than 10,000 18-year-olds from 25 countries including Thailand, and reveals young people’s perspectives on the risks they face growing up in an increasingly connected world.
In Thailand, some 85 per cent of adolescents interviewed agree that children and teens are in danger of being sexually abused or taken advantage of online, and 57 per cent think their friends participate in risky behaviours online. However, 90 per cent believe that bullying or abuse would never happen to them.
“Digital and Internet technologies are becoming part of life for children and young people in Thailand, and this creates opportunity and threat,” said Thomas Davin, Unicef representative for Thailand. “While the Internet is a source of unlimited knowledge, violence against children on cyberspace is becoming common at the same time.”
The new report finds that adolescents appear confident with their own ability to stay safe, with nearly 94 per cent of interviewees in Thailand believing they can avoid online dangers, while 87 per cent say they have learned how to deal with people who make unwanted sexual comments or requests online.
In the 25 countries surveyed, about six out of 10 said meeting new people online is either somewhat or very important to them, but only 36 per cent strongly believe they can tell when people are lying about who they are online. In addition, more than two-thirds of girls or 67 per cent strongly agree they would be worried if they received sexual comments or requests over the Internet, compared to 47 per cent of boys.
When online threats do occur, more adolescents turn to friends rather than parents or teachers, but less than half strongly agree they know how to help a friend facing an online risk. In Thailand, 94 per cent say they would turn to their friends if they felt threatened or unsafe online.
Unicef Thailand is working with the Thai government to develop a national policy on child online protection. Recently, Unicef Thailand and Total Access Communication (dtac) launched a Parent’s Guidebook for Child Safety Online to ensure that parents are equipped with the knowledge and skills to protect their children from dangers and exploitation online. This month, Unicef will also be launching a #ReplyForAll campaign to raise awareness on online abuse and cyber-bullying.
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