Viet Nam: Three out of Four 18-year-olds believe young people are in danger of online sexual abuse – UNICEF/Ipsos global poll

Perils and Possibilities: Growing up online is based on an international opinion poll of more than 10,000 18-year-olds from 25 countries, revealing young people's perspectives on the risks they face growing up in an increasingly connected world.

"The internet and mobile phones have revolutionized young people's access to information, but the poll findings show just how real the risk of online abuse is for girls and boys," said UNICEF's Associate Director of Child Protection, Cornelius Williams. "Globally, one in three internet users is a child. Today's findings provide important insights from young people themselves. UNICEF aims to amplify adolescents' voices to help address online violence, exploitation and abuse, and make sure that children can take full advantage of the benefits the internet and mobile phones offer."

The new report finds that adolescents appear confident with their own ability to stay safe, with nearly 90 per cent of interviewees believing they can avoid online dangers. Approximately 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.

More than two-thirds of girls, 67 per cent strongly agree they would be worried if they received sexual comments or requests over the internet, this compares to 47 per cent of boys. When online threats do occur, more adolescents turn to friends than parents or teachers, but less than half strongly agree they know how to help a friend facing an online risk.

Key findings related to Viet Nam:

Vietnamese 18-year-olds value online security and recognise the risks posed by the Internet. However, young people in Vietnam are extremely confident they will not be victimised themselves. They are just as likely to turn to their friends as they are to turn to their parents if they perceive a threat online.

• 74% agree that children and adolescents are in danger of being sexually abused or taken advantage of online.
• 41% think their friends participate in risky behaviours online, but 71% believe online bullying or abuse would never happen to them 
• 75% say they would turn to their parents or caregivers if they felt someone were to threaten them or make them feel unsafe online, similarly 73% say they would turn to friends, and 45% say they would tell a teacher. Girls are more likely to say that they would tell their parents if someone were to make them feel unsafe online compared to boys (80% compared with 71%).
• 92% say protecting their own security and privacy while online is important
• 94% are confident in their own behaviour and say they are relaxed when online.
• 91% say they know how to avoid dangerous or risky situations online, and 76% say they have learned how to deal with people who make unwanted sexual comments or requests online.

"It's worth to note that less than half of the young people in Viet Nam turn to teachers when they face an online threat", said Jesper Moller, Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Viet Nam. "Schools play an important role in providing information on digital safety to children. Digital safety should be included into the curriculum. Schools should also have counsellors, and a system of peer-to-peer support for children who have had negative experiences online".

Click here to download the full report

Global call for action

UNICEF, together with the WePROTECT Global Alliance, is calling on national governments to establish coordinated responses between criminal justice systems including law enforcement, and child welfare, education, health and the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sectors, as well as civil society, to better protect children from online sexual abuse and exploitation.

"When young people, governments, families, the ICT sector and communities work together, we are more likely to find the best ways to respond to online sexual abuse and exploitation, and send a strong message that confronting and ending violence against children online – indeed anywhere – is all of our business," said Williams.

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• Perils and Possibilities: Growing up online.

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About the WePROTECT Global Alliance

The WePROTECT Global Alliance is dedicated to ending the sexual exploitation of children online through national and global action. Its vision is to identify and safeguard more victims, apprehend more perpetrators and create and internet free from this crime. The WeProtect Global Alliance is comprised of governments, companies and civil society organizations signed up to the commitments made at the WePROTECT Children Online summits in London (2014) and Abu Dhabi (2015) and the members of the Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online.

About UNICEF

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org/vietnam

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For further information, please contact:

• Melanie Sharpe, UNICEF New York, + 1 917 251 7670, msharpe@unicef.org
• Louis Vigneault-Dubois, UNICEF Viet Nam +84-4-38500241 ; +84-966539673 ; lvigneault@unicef.org
• Nguyễn Thị Thanh Hương, UNICEF Việt Nam, 84-4-38500225; email: ntthuong@unicef.org