One In Four Dominican Teens Faced Online Sexual Violence

Nearly one in four Dominican adolescents who use the internet experienced some form of sexual exploitation or abuse facilitated by technology during the past year, according to a study conducted by UNICEF, ECPAT International and INTERPOL.

The research estimates that 23% of internet users between 12 and 17 in the Dominican Republic, equivalent to approximately 272,000 adolescents, were exposed to at least one form of technology-facilitated sexual violence during the 12-month period studied. The prevalence was the highest recorded among the 15 countries included in the research.

Most Reported Perpetrators Were Known To The Victim

One of the study’s most significant findings is that the person responsible for the abuse was known to the adolescent in 68% of cases. Perpetrators included relatives, friends, acquaintances and romantic partners.

The finding broadens the traditional understanding of online risks for children and teenagers. Protection cannot focus exclusively on unknown individuals encountered online, since technology can also be used to facilitate abuse within existing relationships and circles of trust.

UNICEF Representative in the Dominican Republic Carlos Carrera said the figures demonstrate the vulnerability of children and adolescents in digital environments and stressed that responsibility for their protection should not fall primarily on the victims.

Sexual Abuse Can Begin With Digital Contact

The forms of violence identified in the research include unwanted exposure to sexual content, requests for sexual images, offers of money or gifts in exchange for intimate material, threats and the non-consensual distribution of private content.

The study also found that 4% of adolescents surveyed reported that someone had used artificial intelligence to create fake sexual images or videos of them. The emergence of AI-generated sexual content adds another layer of complexity to efforts to protect minors in digital environments.

WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram were among the platforms mentioned by participants, while some cases were also associated with gaming platforms. The findings indicate that online abuse can extend beyond screens, with technology sometimes used to initiate, facilitate or prolong situations that have consequences in adolescents’ physical and emotional lives.

Fear And Shame Can Prevent Victims From Seeking Help

The research points to significant barriers to reporting abuse. Less than 1% of cases were reported to authorities, while one in three adolescents who experienced this type of violence did not tell anyone what had happened.

Fear, shame, confusion and isolation were among the experiences described by participants. The emotional impact can extend beyond the immediate incident, affecting victims’ sense of safety and their ability to trust others.

The study also found that adolescents who experienced technology-facilitated sexual violence were more likely to report anxiety, self-harm or suicidal thoughts and behaviors, underscoring the potential consequences for their broader well-being.

The Risk Extends Across Ages And Communities

The findings indicate that technology-facilitated sexual violence affects adolescents in both rural and urban areas. The research also found similar levels of risk among adolescents ages 12 to 15 and those ages 15 to 17.

Another important finding is that approximately half of the victims were boys. The result highlights the need for prevention strategies that reach adolescents across different ages, locations and backgrounds rather than focusing on a single profile of potential victims.

For families, schools and institutions, the findings reinforce the need to treat online safety as part of child protection rather than as a separate technology issue. Adolescents need accessible ways to seek help when digital interactions become threatening, coercive or abusive.

Study Seeks To Strengthen The National Response

The Disrupting Harm research involved coordination among Dominican institutions, with the Ministry of Justice playing a role in facilitating the study and supporting the generation of evidence on technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse.

The evidence provides a basis for strengthening prevention, protection and justice responses. It also identifies barriers that can prevent victims from reporting incidents, highlighting the need for reporting mechanisms that are accessible, safe and capable of connecting victims with appropriate support.

During the presentation of the findings, Geny Lozada, UNICEF’s Protection Officer, outlined the main results and the challenges facing the country in preventing, detecting and responding to technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse.

Institutions Discuss Prevention And Digital Protection

A high-level panel held as part of the study’s launch brought together representatives from several Dominican institutions and was moderated by young members of UNICEF’s Altavoz Adolescent Advisory Council.

Participants included Claudio Peguero, ambassador and adviser on cyber affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Armando Díaz, head of cybercrime at the National Investigations Directorate; Isaac Emmanuel Vásquez Montilla, director of Innovation at the Ministry of Public Administration; and Sandra Herrera, head of the Cybersecurity Department at INDOTEL, the Dominican telecommunications regulator.

The discussion focused on the challenges identified by the research and on measures to strengthen prevention, protection and institutional responses to violence against children and adolescents in digital environments.

The initiative also highlighted the importance of coordination among government agencies, technology companies, child-protection organizations and adolescents themselves. A safer digital environment requires not only mechanisms to respond after abuse occurs, but also systems and services designed to reduce risks before they materialize.

Turning Evidence Into Action

UNICEF’s work through its Impacto Digital initiative promotes an approach in which children’s rights and safety are incorporated into the design of digital services and platforms. The strategy includes accessible reporting systems, safer internet education and stronger protection of personal data.

For the Dominican Republic, the Disrupting Harm findings provide a detailed picture of the scale and characteristics of technology-facilitated sexual violence among adolescents. The challenge now is to translate that evidence into stronger prevention measures, easier reporting pathways, institutional capacity and timely support for victims.

The study’s findings also place the Dominican Republic within a broader regional conversation about child protection in the digital age, where the rapid development of technologies such as artificial intelligence is creating new risks alongside the opportunities offered by greater internet access.