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Child Online Exploitation Cases in Belgium Reach Record High in 2025
(MENAFN) A record number of children and teenagers become victims of online sexual exploitation in Belgium in 2025, according to an annual report released Monday by the organization Child Focus.
The report records 837 victims in the past year, covering cases such as sextortion, grooming, and non-consensual sexting. This figure is more than double the 401 cases reported three years earlier.
According to Child Focus, the increase is partly linked to the growing use of artificial intelligence, including the spread of so-called “deepnudes,” which are AI-generated realistic nude images.
“The urgency of improving the online protection of our children is becoming even more pressing....” said Child Focus Executive Director Nel Broothaerts.
“Because beyond the individual impact on victims, we also want to have a collective impact on all children: through targeted prevention designed to empower them, and by advocating for legislative frameworks that protect them,” she added.
The report also highlights a sharp rise in grooming cases, with Child Focus opening 108 new files in 2025, a 151% increase compared with the previous year. Victims are reported to have an average age of 13.
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