“We are more powerful together. We need you.”
There’s a movement building around the world to stop livestreamed abuse of children, led by survivors like Joy*.
This is Joy's story.
When Joy was eight, her parents moved away from the Philippines for work, forcing her to stay with relatives and neighbours.
She babysat, did laundry, cleaned floors—whatever she was asked. During this time, she prayed a simple prayer: to reunite her family and finish her education.
Joy passed from home to home, saying she felt, “like a dog… I lived wherever I can possibly stay—with my relatives that will accept me.”
A woman she trusted invited Joy and her friends into her home, but something felt wrong. In her own words, Joy explains what happened next:
“I was surprised when she asked us to go naked, and then she said she will take pictures of us together. I was so scared, nervous and confused. I didn’t know what to do. But since we were already inside [her] house, we were left with no choice but to follow her instructions.”
The horror of online sexual exploitation of children is all too real for Joy and thousands of other girls and boys in the Philippines.
Traffickers - often family members - facilitate the sexual abuse of children and stream it over the internet for paying Western sex offenders to watch.
This is a brutal form of violence and exploitation, but with your help, it can be stopped.
Joy was 10 years old when her abuse began. Then she turned 11. Then 12. And 13. And 14.
At first, Joy didn’t fully understand what was happening to her. But as she grew older, the horrible reality dawned on her.
The girl who prayed every night to reunite her family and finish her education says, “I wondered if a brighter future was possible for me.”
Seven years after Joy was first exploited, IJM learned of her abuse and partnered with police to find her, bring her to safety and arrest the woman who was abusing her.
It was one of the first online sexual exploitation of children operations IJM was able to support, and with your help, Joy and 12 other children were brought to safety, including her brother.
Joy was 17 years old when she arrived at the shelter. IJM social workers met her, explaining that she was now free from exploitation and abuse.
Your gift now will help protect children from ever suffering online sexual exploitation.
Even though Joy was no longer being exploited online, she still had a long road of healing ahead of her.
As she grew accustomed to living in a shelter with people who cared for her physical and emotional needs, her dreams of finishing school came back.
With IJM's support, Joy completed her high school courses and enrolled at a local university. She's now a licensed Social Worker and happily married.
“I am inspired by the social workers who don’t stop helping survivors like me. I too have a passion to help survivors see that there is hope after rescue, and that there are people who can help us.”
Her determination to protect children is taking her places she never imagined she would go. After speaking at an event here in the UK in 2018, she closed with these words:
“I am standing before you today, sharing my story, because I believe children are the future. Slavery is happening all around the world. I want it to stop. I believe it can stop, but I cannot do it alone.”
Joy is advocating for stronger protection of children alongside IJM. You can be part of this vocal, global movement, rallying together for change.
Write to your MP now about implementing Tech that Protects Children:
*Pseudonym. Images of child actor used.
