PNP: Online child sex abuse victims drop by 27 percent

MANILA, Philippines — The number of children who are victims of online sexual abuse and exploitation dropped by nearly 27 percent in 2023.

Data from the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Center (PNP-WCPC) showed 119 online sexual abuse and exploitation of children or OSAEC victims were rescued in 2023.

The figure is lower compared to 163 rescued victims in 2022, a decrease of around 26.99 percent.

The WCPC has intensified its campaign against perpetrators of OSAEC, conducting 54 law enforcement operations in 2023 from 48 the previous year.

In 2023, a total of 18 suspects were arrested. The WCPC also filed 32 criminal complaints and secured three convictions.

The WCPC arrested 42 suspects, referred 36 criminal cases and had one conviction in 2022.

Reacting to reports that the Philippines ranked second behind India in cases of OSAEC, WCPC director Brig. Gen. Portia Manalad said the number of incidents could have spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were confined to their homes.

Manalad said cases are going down due to the interventions of the WCPC and other government agencies.

She is also pushing for an awareness campaign to educate parents of those who are allowing their children to be sexually abused online in exchange for money.

“They think it is not an offense or nothing happened to the child because they were untouched,” she said.

Manalad said parents should be always on guard against sexual predators who are using social media platforms such as Facebook and Telegram to hunt minors.

She said the management of social media platforms to be more proactive in protecting children from online sexual abuse.

“They should be stricter, limit the access of children,” Manalad said.