Year-Long Investigation Leads to Rescue, and Children Are Now Safe
Summary:
A year of diligent investigations resulted in this week’s rescue of four victims: two young women, a teenage boy and a 12-year-old girl.
Police investigations revealed that the suspect, a 25-year-old Filipina arrested at the scene, had offered children to perform sexually explicit, live shows online in exchange for money from foreign customers. Authorities have reason to believe that another suspected trafficker is still at large in this community.
This form of sexual exploitation is made possible by the digital age, only requiring a simple internet connection and a webcam, or even a mobile phone.
IJM supported police and government social workers throughout the development of this case.
“There is no stopping justice. We will not stop until those who sexually exploit our children online are arrested. We will not stop until the children are brought to a safe place,” said Anti-Human Trafficking Chief Villamor Tuliao of the Philippines National Police, the law enforcement agency responsible for these successful rescues.
A 2-year-old boy believed to be at risk of exploitation was also removed from this heartbreaking scene. He and the other survviors are in the care social workers from the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and IJM.
Cybersex trafficking is an emerging threat as internet access increases everywhere. Now, pedophiles anywhere in the world can direct live sexual abuse of boys and girls hidden in private homes.
*Main photo is a stock image