Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippines has become the epicentre of online child sexual abuse. Clients, mostly Westerners, pay just a few dozen dollars to watch the live rape of a child. The perpetrators of these crimes are often family members – acts of incest monetised by extremely poor Filipinos, who can earn the equivalent of a year’s salary in just a few days. This phenomenon, marked by extreme violence, is fuelled by the country’s endemic poverty and easy internet access. The anonymity of online streaming also makes investigations more difficult. While authorities regularly arrest families that live-stream the rape of their children, it is far from enough to end the sexual exploitation of children online. William de Tamaris and Justin McCurry report.
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NewsTranscript
00:00She's just 13 years old, but her life has been filled with trauma. For two years, this
00:15Filipina girl was sexually abused by her adoptive parents. They filmed the assaults and broadcast
00:21their crimes live on the internet, all for just a few dollars. We're calling her Marie
00:26to protect her anonymity.
00:28At first, my parents didn't show my whole body, only certain parts. But over time,
00:34they started exposing everything, including my private parts. Then I saw the videos on a phone.
00:41I discovered that only people overseas were watching. I was unable to resist.
00:48Most of the online audience were Westerners. By watching,
00:52they were complicit in child sexual abuse, and they paid Marie's parents to watch online.
00:59When you see these people on the screen, are they young or rather old?
01:04Some seemed young, but most were much older.
01:11And did it happen often? Every day or just occasionally?
01:17Every day.
01:18Marie now lives in a shelter with her two brothers, who are also abused.
01:26Their adoptive parents were arrested in 2021 and are now awaiting trial.
01:34This new form of child sexual abuse exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the capital
01:40Manila, Child Welfare Director Portia Manalad is in charge of protecting minors.
01:46During the pandemic, it increased by the number because most of the children are at home using
01:52the internet for their classes. It's easy, I think, for perpetrators abroad to communicate
01:58with the children. These police officers handle thousands of cases of online child sexual abuse.
02:04Their investigations are complex. The rapes are often committed by family members,
02:09and those paying to watch them live outside the Philippines.
02:13The investigators leave no stone unturned.
02:18There are also different accounts on social networks. For example, some videos are posted
02:22on TikTok. When we come across them, we try to find clues that could help us,
02:27like the colour of the child's clothes or details visible in the background.
02:32These videos are so horrific, they shock even experienced police officers.
02:37Seeing these videos is extremely difficult.
02:44You immediately feel that the child must be saved, that they must be rescued as soon as possible.
02:50It's something that deeply affects me. They are so young.
02:55Across the country, the crackdown on online child sexual abuse is gathering pace,
03:00as these law enforcement images show.
03:07After their parents are arrested, the children are placed in shelters,
03:11like this one run by a group called PREDA.
03:14The NGO has been helping victims of sexual abuse for more than 50 years.
03:18The number of internet child abuse cases tripled during the pandemic.
03:23In 2022, half a million minors were reportedly abused online.
03:28Poverty, easy access to the internet, inefficient justice system.
03:36So if you put all of these together, then you have a situation
03:41where children are abused and yet no one is punished for it.
03:45This shelter is home to 71 child survivors of sexual abuse.
03:49They're attempting to rebuild their lives with the help of counsellors.
03:52The healing process for all victims of abuse is always very difficult,
03:57but it is especially difficult when children are victims by their own families.
04:02It is important for them to say, to talk about what happened to them
04:07because they have to testify in court.
04:09Mari will soon testify at the trial of her adoptive parents.
04:13If convicted, they could face life imprisonment. Mari is conflicted.
04:19Why is it important to testify in court?
04:25For justice to be served.
04:28My parents must be convicted and imprisoned, but not with overly harsh sentences.
04:34What is needed is to punish them fairly, not too much, but not too little.
04:39She will not be permitted to leave the shelter until she's 18.
04:43Some children have other options, including being reunited with their families,
04:48but only under strict conditions.
04:50Today, a social worker is inspecting a survivor's family home.
04:54So there are eight of you living together at home?
04:57And who's taking care of this child?
04:59OK, I'll take a picture of the apartment.
05:01This girl was raped by her stepfather, who's now in prison.
05:05She hopes to return to live with her mother.
05:07Before that happens, NGO staff must be sure she'll be safe.
05:12We try to understand the living conditions of these children.
05:16Do they have their own room?
05:18Do the parents have their own space?
05:19Do they have access to water and electricity?
05:24Today's visit has gone well.
05:26The social worker is hopeful that the girl can soon rejoin her mother.
05:31But she remains cautious.
05:35We have cases where the reintegration of the child into the family leads to new abuses.
05:40Our social workers stay in touch with relatives, parents and even local authorities,
05:45like neighborhood leaders.
05:47We do this to prevent the abuse from happening again.
05:53Despite their efforts, cases of online child abuse are rising in the Philippines.
05:58According to UNICEF, an estimated one in five Filipino children
06:03suffer sexual abuse before they turn 18.