Youngsters on the line

Reasons behind

Szeto blames children's growing reliance on the internet as the primary reason for the escalating trend of cyber sexual violence against them, with more than 70 percent of young people in Hong Kong owning a personal computer, and 94 percent having cellphones.

Li says that while the internet has made people's lives more convenient, it has also helped abusers perpetrate malicious activities. The internet's unrestricted availability has eliminated time and space boundaries, enabling sexual violence to occur 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Moreover, the nonlocal nature of abusers makes it difficult for the authorities to bring them to justice. The internet has rendered counterfeiting and payments easier, facilitating fraudulent and sexual transactions, says Li.

Research has shown that online sexual harassment among students surpasses that of real-life incidents by more than fourfold. While only 1 percent of young people have reported involuntarily encountering someone's private parts in real life, the proportion reaches 22 percent in the cyberworld.

Another factor contributing to the cyber sexual violence trend is children's lack of love and care in real-life situations, says Li.

A survey conducted by the PolyU professor identified two high-risk groups experiencing cyber sexual abuse - children with insufficient family attention and care, and those who are socially withdrawn.

This viewpoint is backed by a separate poll carried out by Save the Children Hong Kong, which found that adolescents who have experienced abuse or neglect are four times more likely to have been subjected to involuntary sexual abuse online, compared to the general population.

In Yeung's view, there has been a prevailing sense of loneliness and increasing alienation in the community. With limited connections in real life, teenagers turn to the internet seeking comfort. Compared to the harshness of reality, the online world offers children an illusory sense of goodness where people are always perfect although there could be bigger dangers lurking, warns Yeung.

Inadequate education on sex and cybersecurity is another factor behind the cyber violence trend, says Yeung.

In some instances, it's the children themselves who post pornographic materials online or share nude photos with others. At the same time, sexting has become quite common among young people, and it's normal for teenagers to use pornographic materials to joke and tease each other.

In their adolescence, children undergo significant physiological and psychological changes and display curiosity about sex. Their sex-relevant behavior should not be stigmatized, but society should promote proper education on sexuality among teenagers. Failing to do so may lead to regrettable actions that may affect them for the rest of their lives, says Yeung.