POLICY NOTE

2021-03

THE COMPLEX WORLD OF

ONLINE SEXUAL ABUSE AND
EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN
BACKGROUND show that 20.6% of children experienced
being shown photos or videos of sex
A newer form of child sexual violence organs or sexual activities over the internet
has suddenly spurted in the time of the or cellphone, which is a form of sexual
COVID-19 pandemic. With Filipinos forced harassment. The same study reported only
into extended home and community 2.5 % having nude pictures of themselves
quarantine, people gravitated to the or any of their sexual activities being
online world or space for information, posted in the internet or cellphone. In a
entertainment, education, income 2012 survey by the Stairway Foundation,
opportunities and connectivity with friends 28% of 3,500 children surveyed said that
and other people. It is in the cyberspace they had been asked to strip online. The
where adult exploiters scout and stalk actual number of children who experience
children, entice, groom and eventually online sexual abuse, however, is hard to
abuse their victims. Sexting, made-to-order determine, given the culture of silence
child abuse material and livestreaming of that still persists in society surrounding
sexual abuse or webcam sex tourism are violence in general, and child sexual
some information and communication violence in particular.
technology-facilitated forms of online
sexual abuse and exploitation (OSAEC). During the mandatory lockdown period,
Whether or not subsequent offline sexual however, the Department of Justice-
abuse happened, OSAEC has been known Office of Cybercrime through the National
to have significant negative impact on the Center for Missing and Exploited Children
rights and well-being of children. reported a 264.63% increase of OSAEC
activities between March to May 2020.
Even before the pandemic happened, The Philippines can expect a further rise
OSAEC was already a growing global in OSAEC cases. The country is known as
concern - children can be easily lured into one of the top ten countries producing
it, given their early exposure to technology child pornography as well as the global
and devices, as well as the ease of access hub of livestream sexual abuse, with
to the internet, while perpetrators are many children as victims. The proportion
difficult to trace, catch and prosecute. of Philippine internet addresses known
UNICEF Philippines notes that in spite of to host child pornography had tripled
the passage of the Anti-Child Pornography from 2015 to 2017. The percentage of the
Act in 2009, success in prosecuting Philippine population (estimated at 70%)
perpetrators has been limited. that is already connected to the internet in
2018 is projected to grow beyond 2020.
The 2015 National Baseline Study on
Violence Against Children (NBS-VAC)
DSWD Central Office, IBP Road,
Policy Note 2021-03
Batasan Pambansa Complex, Constitution
THE COMPLEX Hills,OF
WORLD Quezon
ONLINECity, Philippines
SEXUAL ABUSE
Website: [Link] Email: [Link]@[Link]
AND EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN
1
COMPLEX FORM OF ABUSE with barriers and difficulties. Many internet
service providers (ISPs) do not comply
Filipino children are reported to also with the installation of pornography-
commonly engage in risky online behavior blocking technologies because of loss of
(i.e. interacting with strangers) and are profit from patrons of porn site. Blocking
generally unsupervised when they use technologies are also costly, and tracing
the internet. A 2016 study revealed that and catching perpetrators hiding behind
exploitative strangers are met online fake accounts is difficult. Corruption
through group chats, receiving strangers’ among law enforcement officials, the
requests to be added in their lists, and judiciary and immigration officials have
strangers chatting persistently with them also been reported. All of these are
and offering to meet at some place. abetted by a culture of silence around
Interaction with strangers online double sexual behaviors, including mischief and
the chances of harassment and sexual abuse, and keeping children generally
solicitation experienced. Unlike other forms uneducated and disempowered over their
of child sexual abuse that happen outright, own bodies and sexuality. The grinding
OSAEC usually proceeds gradually, with poverty that push families into online
careful grooming of children or gaining sex tourism is a factor needing special
their trust. attention from the government.

In the worst cases of OSAEC, parents or RECOMMENDATIONS

family relatives force the children into
online sex tourism, justifying that no A national framework should provide
permanent harm is done if the child is not an over-all guide in tackling OSAEC
physically touched by strangers. Poverty is and its permutations, the challenge of
a major factor in online child sex tourism. ensuring vigilance in cyber space, and the
A study by Terre des Hommes shows social, cultural and economic drivers. A
that children who see no other option conceptual framework that identifies the
of helping their families out of poverty major drivers of OSAEC should be aligned
turn to cybersex shows because they are with a strategy where a whole-of-society,
seen as easier, safer and more profitable multidisciplinary approach will be applied.
than other forms of self-employment. The Interagency Committee Against Child
Consumerism and peer behavior are also Pornography (IACACP) can lead the
drivers of OSAEC, while facilitating factors development of a framework or the review
include English language familiarity of the global response model that guides
and the ease in conducting financial its current strategic plan. The IACACP
transactions using local money transfer Secretariat itself should be strengthened in
facilities. terms of its staff complement and funding
to enable it to respond to new challenges
BARRIERS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST brought by the pandemic, and to pursue
OSAEC projects, such as the development of
a centralized database for reporting
The Philippines has progressive child and monitoring that will serve as basis
protection laws which include the Anti- for analysis and development of better
Child Pornography Act, Anti-Child Abuse, program responses.
Exploitation and Discrimination Act; and
the Cybercrime Prevention Act, among For the Department of Social Welfare and
others. However, the implementation of Development, a more vigorous focus on
these laws in relation to OSAEC is fraught the preventive aspect may be restarted.
Policy Note 2021-03
THE COMPLEX WORLD OF ONLINE SEXUAL ABUSE
AND EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN
2
While OSAEC is one of the special modules and immediate response mechanisms,
in the Family Development Sessions of including safe shelters for victims, should
the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program be available and accessible.
(4Ps), the case management of 4Ps
families that have been involved in OSAEC All of the above recommendations are
can be reviewed in the light of the cultural pointing towards the need for a more
beliefs and economic situations that push serious and comprehensive look at what
poor families and children to engage in every duty bearer is doing and what could
sex tourism. Aftercare programs should be further enhanced and strengthened in
ensure that foster parents who will take the areas of social welfare and protection,
on children abused by their own parents law enforcement, justice, education,
are equipped with knowledge and skills information and communication
to handle children who have experienced technology, and health to address the
trauma. The Department should also issue. Lastly, our mechanisms should have
initiate soon the development of a pilot space where voices of affected children,
program that will address OSAEC cases and communities where OSAEC happens
outside of the 4Ps. Thus, how different are heard.
programs on OSAEC are being designed
and implemented should be coordinated

A g e n c i e s w i t h m a n d a t e s o n I C T,
cybercrime prevention and surveillance
should collaborate in developing software
applications that can recognize potential
and ongoing OSAEC activities in the web.
The academe and private sector must also
be brought into this partnership.

Schools have a special role in raising

awareness on this issue and empowering
children to recognize risks that they face,
assert themselves and their right over
their own bodies and not have others
a b u s e t h e m , m a ke b e t te r d e c i s i o n s
fo r t h e m s e l ve s , a n d h ave a cce ss to
information on trusted professionals whom
they can approach.

There is a protocol for managing violence

against children at the local government
level, but a protocol for managing OSAEC
cases should be made clear to all service
providers. The Local Council for the
Protection of Children should be the
first to push back the culture of silence
in communities through intensifying
awareness raising campaigns and
developing their own local initiatives.
Needless to say, reporting channels
Policy Note 2021-03
THE COMPLEX WORLD OF ONLINE SEXUAL ABUSE
AND EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN
3
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Council for the Welfare of Children and UNICEF Philippines. National Baseline Study
on Violence Against Children. Manila: Council for the Welfare of Children and UNICEF
Philippines, 2015.

Cullen, Shay. “The dark side of the internet,” Manila Times, 19 January 2020. Accessed
(date)
[Link]
of-the-internet/675690/

Department of Justice-Office of Cybercrime/National Center for Missing and Exploited

Children

Department of Social Welfare and Development.”The Pandemic of Online Sexual

Exploitation and Abuse of Children.” Unpublished report??, 2020.

UNICEF Philippines. National Study on Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children
in the Philippines. Manila: UNICEF Philippines, 2019.

University of the Philippines. Global Kids Online: The Philippines, November 2016.

University of the Philippines Manila, The University of Edinburgh, Child Protection

Network Foundation and UNICEF Philippines. A Systematic Review of the Drivers of
Violence Affecting Children in the Philippines. Manila: UNICEF Philippines, October 2016.

Policy Note 2021-03

THE COMPLEX WORLD OF ONLINE SEXUAL ABUSE
AND EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN