Seventeen-year-old Zara Shah, a Pakistani teenager, was targeted by a stranger during an online gaming session, leading to a harrowing experience of sexual exploitation. Zara, whose name has been changed for her protection, is among an estimated 1.5 million children in Pakistan who endured online sexual abuse within a single year, as highlighted in a recent UN children’s agency report.
“We began chatting while playing an online game, and he acted like a friend initially. Later, he asked to meet and then demanded explicit photos,” Zara recounted. When she refused, the individual threatened to expose their conversations to her family.
The UNICEF report indicates that approximately 85% of abusers were known to their victims, who were mostly between 12 and 17 years old. Daniel Kardefelt, the lead author of the global UNICEF study, explained that such abuse often starts with seemingly innocent interactions, such as friendly chats, gaming connections, or promises of gifts, money, or romance. Perpetrators may spend months gaining trust by exploiting information found on social media platforms.
Notably, 71% of victims in Pakistan did not disclose their abuse to anyone, and none reported it through official channels like police, helplines, or social workers. This silence is largely due to stigma, shame, and fear of negative reactions from families or society.
Mehek Naeem, director of Pahchaan, a Lahore-based children’s rights organization, noted that about 44% of reported abuse occurred entirely online, with Snapchat and WhatsApp being common platforms for such exploitation. In Pakistan’s conservative society, girls face increased risks of sexual extortion, which can result in restrictions on their freedom or withdrawal from education.
For Zara, the threat of family exposure was enough to keep her silent. “I feared being stopped from attending school or even leaving the house. Staying quiet seemed safer, but the anxiety haunts me daily,” she shared.
With UNICEF estimating that around 74% of Pakistani children aged 12 to 17 use the internet, concerns about online safety are intensifying as digital access grows. In a significant development, Punjab’s provincial government recently passed a resolution to prohibit children under 16 from using social media. However, this move has faced criticism.
Digital rights activist Usama Khilji opposed the ban, arguing that it would be difficult to enforce and that children could bypass restrictions using VPNs. He emphasized that children have a right to freedom of expression, which such bans undermine.
Pakistan has legal provisions addressing technology-facilitated offenses against children, but enforcement remains lacking, Tahira Afrasiyab, spokesperson for the non-profit Muslim Hands. Experts also point out gaps in existing legislation.
Human rights lawyer Salman Afridi highlighted how economic vulnerability is exploited, with perpetrators coercing children for as little as Rs10,000 ($36) to produce sexual content. He described the situation as a “commercial ecosystem of exploitation,” facilitated by technology through grooming, coercion, blackmail, and distribution.
For Zara and many others, the trauma of an encounter that began with an online game continues to cast a long shadow. “I was, and still am, terrified,” she said. “I live in constant fear.”
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