Online Sexual Exploitation Among Adolescents in Tanzania: Exploring the Stigmas of Victimization and Help-Seeking

Drawing upon a sample of adolescents from Tanzania (N = 955), the current study investigates the complex interplay of factors influencing stigmas associated with online sexual exploitation (OSE) victimization and help-seeking behaviours. Employing path analysis, the study revealed that although the stigmas of OSE victimization and the stigmas of OSE help-seeking are influenced by shared factors such as gender and self-efficacy, the sizes and directions of the effects are different. In addition, older adolescents reported greater stigmas of OSE victimization, whereas those from urban areas and those who had experienced sextortion reported greater stigmas of help-seeking. These findings underscore the need for targeted policy and practice interventions aimed at mitigating stigmas surrounding OSE among subpopulations with different demographic, socio-economic and psychological characteristics. Such efforts are crucial for bolstering prevention and intervention strategies to combat OSE-related stigmas effectively.