COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Partnering with local governments to strengthen OSEC response where it’s needed most.
Nearly half a million Filipino children abused in a year.*
Online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) has spread at a staggering pace, in just over a decade. It is present in almost every corner of the Philippines and it needs to stop now.
*As estimated by IJM’s Scale of Harm OSEC prevalence study in 2023
THE PROBLEM
A tech-enabled crime against children that continues to proliferate
Online sexual exploitation of children is an urgent national crisis.
Why does OSEC remain widespread?
It is easy.
Perpetrators (often related to the child) use everyday devices to livestream child abuse from their homes to paying foreign abusers. With English widely spoken in the Philippines, the Western customers face no language barrier.
It is low-risk.
OSEC is normalized in Filipino communities, resulting in low levels of reporting. Social norms look down on the act of “telling on others.” And due to online systems and their current protocols, perpetrators and abusers find ways to remain anonymous.
It is profitable.
OSEC is an illegal business, and because of low expenses, profits can be relatively high. Along with that, perpetrators are paid in strong foreign currencies such as the US dollar and the Euro.
THE SOLUTION
Protection through systemic change and disruption of the crime.
We need to strengthen justice systems in the OSEC response, and with the help of technology, make it costly or even impossible to commit.
Make OSEC difficult.
Through tech and financial disruption, we can make it hard for abusers to operate. Make it impossible to record or upload abuse, as well as for payments from abusers to reach the perpetrators.
Make OSEC risky.
By strengthening both local and national justice systems, OSEC can become too risky for perpetrators to commit. Critical gaps in anti-OSEC work must be addressed. We need a strong local response to OSEC, and community actively reports cases to authorities.
OUR RESPONSE
We work with the Philippine government, survivor leaders, and partners to disrupt and end OSEC.
JUSTICE SYSTEM STRENGTHENING
Championing systemic change in the justice system, to scale protection.
TECH AND FINANCIAL PARTNERSHIPS
Engaging tech and financial companies to deter and disrupt the crime.
INTERNATIONAL ADVOCACY
Advocating for online child protection and safety in international policies, through IJM’s Center to End Online Sexual Exploitation of Children.
If you would like to partner with us in any of these areas, let’s connect.
CONNECT WITH USLet’s pull the plug on OSEC now.
By working together to strengthen the justice system and disrupt the modus operandi, together we can dismantle OSEC for good.