In recent years, Cambodia has seen a troubling rise in cases of online child sexual exploitation, particularly among teenage girls.
AusCam Freedom Project has identified seven key factors that increase a girl’s risk of online child sexual exploitation. Understanding these risk factors is essential in guiding how we can support girls to live safe and happy lives free from exploitation.
- Age and Developmental Stage
Adolescence is a period marked by exploration and curiosity about sexuality and romantic relationships. It is also a time of increased risk-taking and growing independence from parents. This can influence what young people see and do online, and the potential harms they can experience. - Lack of Digital Literacy
While Cambodian teenagers are increasingly connected online, many lack the awareness to navigate digital risks. The perceived anonymity of the internet leads some to engage in risky behavior, unaware of the consequences.
A 2021 AusCam Freedom Project survey found that nearly 15% of girls had shared personal photos with someone they met online, and 10% had been asked to send nude images — highlighting a severe gap in digital safety education.
This lack of digital literacy also extends to many Cambodian parents. Often parents have heard about online financial scams, but have little awareness of online child sexual exploitation, how to monitor children’s internet use, or set parental controls. - Unsafe relationships
Family and caregiver relationships play a critical role in a girl’s development and sense of security. Cambodian culture historically has a strong family hierarchy, with children expected to pay the utmost respect to their parents and to follow parent’s or teachers’ advice or rules.
Domestic violence and harsh discipline causes poor attachments within family units, encouraging girls to seek relationships with new people. For girls who have curfews and limited free time outside of school and family responsibilities, the most accessible way they can seek new relationships is online.
Forms of online child sexual exploitation, such as grooming, sextortion, and coercion often begin subtly, with predators posing as peers or romantic interests. Perpetrators build trust with their victim, making it difficult for young girls to recognise dangerous situations, and distinguish between safe and unsafe relationships. - Mental Health and Low Self-Esteem
Mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, shame, and chronic stress are both symptoms of online child sexual exploitation and contributing risk factors. Girls experiencing emotional distress or low self-esteem may seek affirmation online, and often have lower self-worth and diminished boundaries. This makes them more susceptible to coercion or blackmail online as predators exploit their vulnerabilities.
Many victims internalise blame or fear consequences if they speak out, leading to silence, further isolation, and ongoing harm. - Social Media and Peer Pressure
Currently, there are more mobile phone connections than people in Cambodia, and the widespread availability of smartphones and the internet increases exposure to online child sexual exploitation, if not properly managed.
Social media trends and sexualised content shapes young people’s understanding of relationships and ‘normal’ online behaviours. The desire to fit in can lead girls to engage in risky online behavior, such as sharing explicit content or interacting with unknown individuals. - Active Crisis Situations
Children in crisis — such as those experiencing the loss of a family member, natural disasters, or prior sexual abuse — are significantly more at risk of exploitation. In moments of instability, perpetrators can look to manipulate a child’s vulnerability, offering false hope, fake opportunities, or emotional connection to gain trust and control. - Gender Inequality
Cambodia has made progress on closing the nation’s gender gap in recent years, but deeply rooted gender inequalities and gender roles still remain today. Cambodian women fall behind their male counterparts when it comes to economic empowerment, tertiary education, and representation in government. Perceptions of women as solely wives and mothers discourages educational and professional development.
Girls are more likely to experience violence, less likely to report abuse, and more frequently targeted by perpetrators who exploit both cultural expectations and societal silence. These norms also extend to law enforcement and legal systems, where cases of online child sexual exploitation are often under-reported, under-recognised, or mishandled.
Addressing The Risks
At its core, protecting Cambodian girls from online sexual exploitation requires dismantling the barriers that make them vulnerable in the first place: unsafe relationships, mental health struggles, lack of awareness, and deep-rooted gender inequality.
