Combating online child porn | Daily Tribune

The rise of online child porn in our country has been nothing short of alarming.

According to a study conducted by UNICEF in 2016, the Philippines has emerged as the center of child sex abuse materials production in the world, with 80 percent of Filipino children vulnerable to online sexual exploitation and abuse, in some instances even facilitated by their own parents.

It is easy to conclude that poverty alone is the cause of this high rate of vulnerability. However, the issue is far more nuanced and involved.

Indeed, there are distinct aspects to this phenomenon other than economic factors. These include social, psychological, and cultural factors that contribute to the high exposure and vulnerability of children to online sexual abuse and exploitation.

Very recently, there has been an exciting development in this battle against child porn, and it is in the right direction.

On 15 January 2024, the National Coordinating Council on Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (NCC-OSAEC) released its plan to set up a hotline for victims and members of their families that can be used, among other things, to report suspected child abuse, seek help for victims, and otherwise air complaints.

The Department of Justice, through Assistant Secretary Dominic Clavano, said this is a milestone they want to achieve. The objective is to understand what is happening on the ground, which would lead to effective and long-term solutions.

The coordinating council will comb through the actual statistics and study all relevant factors that promote or encourage online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

I am not aware of all the plans and targets of the NCC-OSAEC. Nonetheless, I wish to suggest certain things that may help them achieve their goals and ultimately banish the scourge of online child porn.

Responding to these is just as crucial as preventing actual incidents and as important as providing a cure for those who have become victims.

The first is to create an integrated framework for responding to cases of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children. The framework should address the violations in varying stages, from prevention, identification, reporting, rescue, and trial, to treatment.

It shall involve regular reviews of existing laws and policies and effective collaboration among government and non-government agencies. This integrated framework will deter offenders as they know the authorities will now keep a watchful eye on them and are also made aware of the consequences that await them.

The second is to shield the children from the psychological harm caused by sexual exploitation. A child-sensitive rescue protocol must be set up, which would prevent victims from experiencing more trauma. There must also be temporary shelters for victims who are sadly abused by their own family members, because of which it is no longer safe to stay in their homes.

In the preliminary investigation, the evidence presented by law enforcers shall be sufficient to prosecute offenders while protecting child victims from testifying in court and reliving their trauma. The children should also be protected from inappropriate media coverage.

Third is to have mental health professionals on hand who may be licensed psychologists or guidance counselors. They can provide appropriate psychosocial interventions for the victims.

There must also be halfway homes to quickly provide the children with safety and security even before they are transferred to shelters. In addition, community-based approaches, such as foster parenting, must be encouraged. This provides victims with alternative safe placement options, and the children are not automatically sent directly to adoption. Still, they are first given a home setting with a semblance of a family environment.

The problem is huge, and there are many factors and systems to consider and put in place. But the first milestone step is always to start.