One-third of Filipino children experience sexual violence before reaching 18 — CPTCSA

Approximately one-third of Filipino kids encounter some type of abuse or sexual violence before turning 18, as reported by the Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse.

In 2020, the Online Child Protection survey conducted by End Child Prostitution and Trafficking Philippines said 40 percent of child and youth respondents connected with strangers through social media.

The same survey found that there were 30 percent who received sexual materials through social media sites and 50 percent who may have experienced sexual violence and exploitation did not report any incidence.

"Children who may not be able to complain, voice out their feelings or avoid conversations about their experience of abuse are the most vulnerable and may be undergoing distress," Zenaida Rosales, executive director of CPTCSA, said.

"This is a pressing issue that we all have to take on. We need to come up with plans that respond to the needs of these children, and we need to strengthen our efforts on all fronts -- both online and offline," Rosales added.

Rosales urged the government to explore the benefits of kinship care in the response to sexual violence while also strengthening policies against perpetrators who have invaded online spaces and committed both physical transactional sex and other forms of sexual violence.