Some 45,409 child sexual abuse materials were displayed on the Internet between 2023 and 2024 in Ghanaian cyberspace.
The figure explained that these sexual abuse materials of children were either produced in-country, distributed here or accessed in Ghana.
Madam Hilda Mensah, the UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, told the Ghana News Agency during a training on “Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse” for investigators of the Ghana Police that such materials were often associated with extreme violence affecting the dignity of the Ghanaian child.
She said, “Some of these children are even killed after the sexual abuse”, and encouraged parents and caregivers to start educating their children on the emerging sexual exploitation and abuse in cyberspace to curb the growing menace.
The UNICEF Child Protection Specialist added that “these crimes against children who are very innocent were driven by high demand for pornographic materials….so I say Ghanaians must stop patronising adult pornography from other countries, while you are watching them, others are also having sex with your children and recording them for sale.”
Madam Mensah said the campaign of child sexual abuse and exploitation on the Internet must become each member of society’s burden to save the future of the Ghanaian child.
Some abused children whose images are on the Internet are often requested to also pay a huge amount of money to their abusers, heightening emotional frustrations and increasing suicide among the affected, the UNICEF officer reported.
Child sexual abuse remains a serious human rights issue in Ghana. Estimates show that approximately 33 % of children have experienced some form of sexual abuse, and over 78 % of victims know their abusers—often within their own families or communities.
Such cases are gravely underreported, and societal stigma significantly hinders justice.
Poverty, lack of education, and early child marriage remain key drivers, as economic pressures lead families to marry off children for financial gain or relief.
Deeply entrenched gender norms and power imbalances discourage disclosure and accountability. Shame, stigma, and the perception of child sexual abuse as a private matter further suppress reporting.
Coordination gaps between health services, social welfare, and law enforcement prevent many cases from receiving proper investigation or prosecution.
