A/HRC/25/48 absence of reliable data on the extent of the violations and their evolution over time and the lack of transnational information sharing. Moreover, the criminal nature of these activities implies that they are generally hidden. Most children and families do not report cases of abuse and exploitation because of stigma, a fear of reprisals and a lack of trust in the authorities. The social tolerance that can exist with respect to these phenomena and the lack of awareness also contribute to under-reporting. Taking these limitations into consideration, the studies and reports that are available nevertheless provide an overall picture of the phenomenon today. Sexual exploitation of children online1 1. 12. The Internet has been significantly misused as a tool for the dissemination of child pornography. Estimates indicate that the number of child abuse images online runs into the millions and the number of individual children depicted is most likely in the tens of thousands.2 The age of victims has tended to decrease and representations are becoming more graphic and violent. Images are increasingly disseminated through peer-to-peer networks, making them more difficult to detect.3 Data from the Internet Watch Foundation suggest that the number of domains hosting child sexual abuse content halved between 2006 and 2012 and that the 9,550 web pages reported were hosted on 1,561 domains from 38 countries in 2012.4 However, this does not mean that there has been a decrease in the circulation of child sexual abuse images. 13. In 2011, the International Association of Internet Hotlines received 29,908 reports of child abuse material, 71 per cent involving prepubescent children and 6 per cent involving very young children. By 2012, that number had jumped to 37,404 reports, 76 per cent involving prepubescent children and 9 per cent involving very young children.5 14. By the beginning of 2013, the International Child Sexual Exploitation image database managed by INTERPOL had enabled identification of 3,000 victims and 1,500 offenders from more than 40 countries, as well as data related to numerous unidentified victims whose cases are yet to be investigated.6 2. Child prostitution 15. Child prostitution is still a prominent problem in many countries. It encompasses all forms of transactional sex involving children. It may be performed in exchange for money but also for other goods or favours. Demand for child prostitution is fuelled by overall demand for prostitution, beliefs that having sex with a child is “safer” and a range of issues revolving around power, superiority and the perception of children as objects. 16. Although no reliable data is available on the extent of the phenomenon, studies indicate that it exists in all environments, including in developed countries, and across 1 2 3 4 5 6 See also the report of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography on child pornography on the Internet (A/HRC/12/23). J. Carr and S. Hilton, Digital Manifesto (Children’s Charity Coalition on Internet Safety, London, 2009), p.29. UNICEF, Child Safety Online: Global challenges and strategies (2011). Available from www.unicefirc.org/publications/pdf/ict_eng.pdf. Internet Watch Foundation, Annual and Charity Report 2012. Available from www.iwf.org.uk/assets/media/annual-reports/FINAL%20webfriendly%20IWF%202012%20Annual%20and%20Charity%20Report.pdf. INHOPE, 2012 Annual Report. Available from http://www.inhope.org/gns/about-us/annualreports.aspx. www.interpol.int/Crime-areas/Crimes-against-children/Victim-identification. 5