70,000 Abuse Reports in Bulgaria

In 2024 alone, Bulgaria’s National Center for Safer Internet (NCSI) received 70,000 reports of child sexual exploitation materials being downloaded or distributed from Bulgarian IP addresses. Most victims were children aged 10 to 13, according to data presented at the “Protection of Children from Online Violence” roundtable, attended by Justice Minister Georgi Georgiev, CE Report quotes BTA

NCSI data shows that 72% of online sexual harassment cases involve social media platforms. The center works closely with the Cybercrime Directorate, the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, and Interpol’s INHOPE network.

Minister Georgiev praised the efforts of NGOs and the Ministry of Interior, but noted that Bulgaria's legal framework for dealing with juvenile antisocial behavior is outdated. He announced the formation of a working group—including judiciary, law enforcement, education, and social policy representatives—to develop a new juvenile justice model focused on prevention, punishment, and rehabilitation.