ABSTRACT
Online sexual abuse (OSA), also referred to as technology-facilitated sexual abuse, is an emerging global concern that may extend from digital interactions to offline victimization. Despite growing awareness, data from middle-income countries remain limited. This study aimed to describe the demographic, clinical and forensic characteristics of children and adolescents evaluated at a Turkish Child Advocacy Centre for OSA cases involving both online interaction and offline abuse. This retrospective cross-sectional study included individuals aged under 18 years who were evaluated for OSA between January 2019 and January 2024. Data were obtained from institutional forensic and medical records, including sociodemographic features, incident characteristics, online communication patterns and clinical examination findings. A total of 297 cases were analysed, with a predominance of adolescent girls. Most cases involved initial contact through photo/video-sharing platforms, followed by face-to-face meetings. Positive anogenital findings were identified in a substantial proportion of examined children. Associations were observed between certain online behaviours, such as image-based threats, and specific communication platforms, as well as between shorter disclosure intervals and more explicit forms of abuse. These findings suggest that OSA in this setting commonly involves a transition from online interaction to offline contact, particularly among adolescent girls. The results underscore the importance of integrated clinical, forensic and preventive approaches to address the multidimensional nature of technology-facilitated sexual abuse.