India and Nepal are major hubs for sex trafficking, with an estimated 60% of female victims trafficked into India being adolescents between 12 and 16 years old.
Thailand remains a primary destination for victims trafficked from Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. In the Philippines, international law enforcement operations have targeted large-scale "cybersex" dens where local youth are exploited for foreign consumers. Exploited Teens Asia
Digital exploitation now includes "compensated dating" (37.9% of cases), sextortion, and the livestreaming of abuse for a global customer base. 2. Key Hotspots and Regional Trends India and Nepal are major hubs for sex
The exploitation of teenagers in Asia remains one of the most complex human rights challenges of the decade. As of 2025-2026, shifting economic landscapes and the rapid acceleration of digital connectivity have transformed traditional patterns of abuse into sophisticated, often invisible networks. In South Asia alone, a 2025 study by Childlight – Global Child Safety Institute revealed that approximately (12.5%) have experienced sexual assault before the age of 18, representing roughly 54 million victims across India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. 1. The Digital Frontier of Exploitation Digital exploitation now includes "compensated dating" (37
Exploitation patterns vary significantly across the continent, driven by local economic disparities and migration routes.
Victims are frequently trafficked from North Korea into China and from the Philippines and Vietnam into Malaysia. 3. Beyond Sexual Abuse: Labor and Criminal Exploitation