Justice for eight-year-old girl in the Philippines
Conviction
December 2022
Three traffickers were just sentenced to life imprisonment for the online sexual exploitation of a young girl.
This child was sexually abused over a live video feed in exchange for money from foreign sex offenders online.
IJM helped authorities bring the young girl to safety and collaborated with public prosecutors to see the abusers held to account.
“A little girl was robbed of the innocence, dignity, inner peace and normal life that she deserved by the very person who was supposed to protect and care for her.
She will bear emotional scars for the rest of her life but because justice has been served by a court of law, there is real hope that she will finally be able to move on and recover from the complex trauma she has been enduring all these years.” – Atty. Kathleen Joy Piccio, Head of Manila Prosecution Development at IJM
The outcome of the trial is a victory in child protection, the fight against online sexual exploitation, and the perceived impunity that perpetrators think they can hide behind.
"For me, the judgment for conviction is a win not only for the people but, more importantly, for our child-victims. It reminds them that they are important and are worthy of genuine love.
They have a bright future ahead and it is never too late for them to start anew. The law and state are always for them, would adamantly fight for them and their rights.” - Assistant State Prosecutor Karla T. Cabel, MNSA, handling prosecutor for the case.
*Stock image.