Digital sexual violence affects millions of minors in Mexico and Spain

Recent studies highlight the prevalence of digital sexual violence among minors in Spain and Mexico. In Almería, Spain, research involving 2,220 students found that approximately one in three adolescents has received unsolicited sexual images. The study noted that 30.6% of Spanish-origin adolescents and 28.2% of Moroccan-origin adolescents were affected. Among Spanish-origin youth, girls reported higher rates of receiving unsolicited images (35.8%) compared to boys (25.6%). The research also identified issues such as the non-consensual distribution of intimate images and the use of sexual deepfakes.

In Mexico, a report by ECPAT, INTERPOL, and UNICEF titled ‘Disrupting Harm’ indicates that 13% of internet-using children and adolescents aged 12 to 17—roughly 1.6 million minors—suffered technology-facilitated sexual abuse or exploitation in the past year. The most frequent form of aggression was exposure to unsolicited sexual images, reported by 7% of adolescents. Other reported incidents included requests for intimate media, non-consensual sharing of content, and sexual extortion. The report found that in 64% of cases, the aggressor was known to the victim, including friends, partners, or family members. Social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp, as well as online games like Roblox and Fortnite, were identified as primary environments for these interactions.