The Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) has released its 2025 annual report for its flagship, survivor-centered Digital Security Helpline, revealing a troubling rise in cases involving minors, alongside a sustained surge in cyber harassment and critical access barriers to justice across Pakistan.
In 2025, the Helpline received 3,012 new complaints, with an additional 776 follow-ups. On average, survivors reported 250 cases per month, including 2,586 instances of cyber harassment. This brings the total number of cases received by the Helpline since its inception in 2016 to 23,032.
The report highlights a 28 per cent increase in cases involving minors, following a 51 per cent increase in 2024, rising to 159 reported cases in 2025 from 124 cases in 2024. Particularly concerning are cases involving children aged 6 to 9, who, while representing a small percentage (0.23 per cent) of total complaints, face severe risks including online grooming, sexual abuse, and digital exploitation. This rise signals a deepening child safety crisis driven by increased digital exposure and insufficient safeguards. DRF underscores the urgent need for parental supervision, school-based digital literacy, and child protection mechanisms to mitigate these risks.
Adults aged 18 to 30 accounted for 51.3 per cent of all complaints, reflecting high digital engagement and awareness of reporting mechanisms. Women continued to bear the brunt of online abuse, reporting 1,709 cases compared to 1,279 reported by men. Women reported higher rates across all major categories of tech-facilitated violence, including non-consensual intimate image (NCII) abuse, blackmail, and sextortion. Men reported higher numbers only in financial fraud cases (469 cases compared to 203 reported by women). The Helpline also received a notable number of cases from vulnerable and high-risk groups, including 159 minors, 94 journalists and media practitioners, 52 human rights defenders, and 24 individuals from religious and ethnic minorities. These figures highlight the intersection of digital violence with professional, social, and identity-based vulnerabilities.
Across Pakistan, Punjab accounted for 69.5 per cent of cases, reflecting both population size and better access to reporting mechanisms. Significantly lower reporting rates were observed in Balochistan (3 per cent), Azad Kashmir (0.6 per cent), and Gilgit-Baltistan (0.26 per cent), indicating persistent gaps in awareness, infrastructure, and access. Notably, the Helpline also saw a 20 per cent increase in international cases, receiving 75 complaints from 30 countries across six continents, compared to 25 countries in 2024.
The report also identifies generative AI as an emerging threat to online safety. As DRF Executive Director Nighat Dad notes: “We are entering a phase where AI is scaling harm at speed. Nearly one in four women globally is already experiencing AI-enabled abuse, while our own data shows a 28 per cent rise in cases involving minors, including children as young as six. This should set off alarm bells. When emerging technologies intersect with already weak protection systems, it is children and women who pay the price. Without urgent intervention, we are normalizing a future where abuse is automated, amplified, and harder to escape.”
Major platforms also remain central to online abuse. In 2025, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram accounted for 53 per cent of cases, down from 57.4 per cent in 2024. WhatsApp alone accounted for 34 per cent, underscoring the growing risks associated with private, encrypted platforms. Features like disappearing messages and “view once” media continue to hinder evidence collection and accountability.
Crucially, despite 79 per cent of cyber harassment cases being referred to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for legal intervention, access to justice remains severely constrained. Only 51% of reported cyber harassment cases originated from cities with operational cybercrime offices, forcing many survivors to travel long distances. A total of 892 complaints were received from cities without NCCIA offices, highlighting systemic accessibility challenges. While online complaint portals exist, they often require in-person verification, creating significant barriers, particularly for survivors in rural and remote areas.
As DRF Executive Director Nighat Dad notes, the Digital Rights Foundation has worked tirelessly to bridge this gap: “Even in times of institutional uncertainty, we have remained committed to sustaining the Helpline as a lifeline for individuals facing technology-facilitated harm. Our role has been to provide not only technical guidance and platform support, but also empathy, clarity, and pathways to protection.”
In response to institutional shortcomings, DRF expanded its legal support in 2025, assisting 143 cases through its legal team, conducting 30 court and NCCIA office visits, and directly supporting 68 survivors through in-person processes.
The report concludes with urgent recommendations. For law enforcement agencies (LEAs), it is imperative to strengthen technical capacity, improve reporting systems for minors, and integrate psychological support services. Policymakers must strengthen data protection laws and prioritise bridging the digital gender divide by investing in nationwide digital literacy initiatives. Social media platforms must also prioritise reports from trusted partners, enhance reporting tools, and improve AI moderation for local contexts.
The Digital Rights Foundation’s Digital Security Helpline is accessible via its toll-free number 0800-39393, through DRF’s social media platforms, and via email at helpdesk@digitalrightsfoundation.pk. The Helpline operates Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
For press queries, contact:
Vaneeza Jawad, Communications Lead, Digital Rights Foundation
vaneeza@digitalrightsfoundation.pk; 03008486945
