Social Media’s Role in Child Abuse & Teen Pregnancy: A Shocking Revelation from Quintana Roo

In Quintana Roo, social media has been identified as a key factor contributing to child abuse and teenage pregnancies. The local non-profit organization, Vida y Familia Cancún (Vifac), reports that girls as young as 11 have become pregnant after forming relationships with men they meet online, who exploit their vulnerability.

In the region's Mayan communities, child abuse by family members remains a deeply ingrained issue, often perceived as normal. In 2024, Vifac assisted 50 women, 15 of whom were girls aged between 11 and 17 and pregnant. The highest number of cases, 1,058, was reported in Playa del Carmen, as per health sector data.

Vifac has found that the absence of father figures, combined with the content minors can access online, leads to abusive relationships. In these situations, the supposed boyfriend is often an adult who manipulates and impregnates the teenager. In Solidaridad, in 2024, 1,058 girls aged between 14 and 19 became mothers, with 281 becoming mothers for the first time.

One such case is Claudia, a mother of two from the Mayan zone. For the first 14 years of her life, she was unaware that she was a victim of abuse by family members. As an adult, she realized the truth and became a mother for the first time at age 13. Determined to protect her daughter from her family's harmful customs, Claudia moved to Cancún.

Despite the guilt imposed on her by some family members, Claudia chose to cut off contact with them after the birth of her first child. She later met a partner and had another daughter, both of whom she raised protectively, aware of the dangers of her former home.

Vifac has established a center in the Mayan zone to support young pregnant women in difficult circumstances and plans to open another in Playa del Carmen. These join existing centers across Quintana Roo, aiming to educate girls about healthy relationships and the risks of early motherhood. Vifac has identified cases like Claudia's, where illiterate girls fail to register their babies, leaving the children without a legal identity.