Among 17 year olds in Sweden the figure is 98%. Most children in western countries use the internet daily. Online sexual abuse, without experiences of offline abuse, was associated with a poorer psychological health, at least at the same level as offline sexual abuse only. More frequent risk behavior, poorer psychological health, poorer relationships with parents and lower self-esteem also characterized the index group. The index group had significantly more prior experiences of different kind of abuse, indicating that they belong to a polyvictimized group. These adolescent victims of online sexual abuse, the index group, did not differ with respect to socio-demographic background from the adolescents without this experience, the reference group. Sexual interaction under pressure was seen as constituting sexual abuse.
Thirty-two (9.7%) of those, the index group, had felt that they had been persuaded, pressed or coerced on at least one occasion. In total 330 (5.8%) adolescents had gotten to know someone during the preceding 12 months for the purpose of engaging in some kind of sexual activity online.
