Child abusers in the Philippines are evolving to become more difficult to detect warns a new investigation.
Technology is enabling large, organised crime syndicates to be replaced by smaller, covert groups often operating within families as the crime shifts online, facilitated by cryptocurrency and digital payment systems.
The research by Childlight Global Child Safety Institute, found victims are also getting younger with a rise in the number of cases of 5 to 12-year-olds being abused commercially, sometimes for as little as 20 pesos.
The institute, hosted by The University of Edinburgh and University of New South Wales, analysed 56 Supreme Court cases over 20 years identifying new trends in the crime.
Researchers found rather than perpetrators being attached to organised crime groups they’re now often found within families and social circles with nearly 60% of offenders’ women who were trusted caregivers.
Childlight’s Bernie Madrid, who is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of the Philippines Manilla, Child Protection Unit, said:
“Exploitation methods have evolved, becoming more difficult for authorities to detect and prevent. The locations of abuse have shifted from public venues to private homes and online platforms, where abuse can be livestreamed or recorded. Recruitment tactics have also evolved, with perpetrators using social media to coerce, manipulate and threaten victims.”
Associate Professor Bernie Madrid
However, authorities in the Philippines are also adapting. To tackle this shift to online abuse landmark legislation has been introduced in the Philippines to ensure not just perpetrators but the technology companies enabling these crimes are held responsible. Introduced in 2022 the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act is believed to be a first in the East-Asia and Pacific region.
While the number of cases coming to the courts is increasing because of better detection, more needs to be done to keep pace with this evolving crime.
Associate Professor Madrid said: “While law enforcement efforts have improved, the rise of technology-facilitated exploitation has made these crimes more complex. Enhanced legal measures, digital monitoring, and community awareness are crucial to protect vulnerable children.”
Childlight are calling for urgent measures to be taken in the Philippines, including:
Community awareness programmes in urban hotspots like Manila, Cebu and Angeles City, on how to detect abuse.
Establishing a unified helpline for victims
Targeted training for lawyers and law enforcement
The report forms part of Childlight’s latest publication Searchlight which investigates who is benefitting from the multi-billion-dollar industry of child exploitation and abuse.
Childlight estimates more than 300 million children have been affected by technology-facilitated abuse globally, amounting to ten cases every second.
Briella*, a member of the Philippine Survivors Network who has experienced technology-facilitated child sexual abuse, called for urgent action.
The 21-year-old said: “I stand not only as a victim but as a voice of the thousands of children who suffer in silence. The results of this study uncover the stark reality: children, ages as young as five, are being exploited for as little as a soft drink cost. This is not simply a statistic — it’s a reflection of how little value is placed on a child’s dignity and life.
She added: “What makes this more tragic is the increasing role of family members as abusers. When the very people who are supposed to protect children from harm turn out to be the abusers, where can a child go? Most victims are caught in situations where it is not possible to speak out, and even when they do, justice often feels out of reach.”
She endorsed the report’s recommendations, including training and resources for law enforcement agencies to effectively investigate cases. She also called for action to tackle the underlying causes of exploitation, such as poverty and ignorance.
Briella added: “No child should ever have to be pushed into abuse simply because their family does not know any other way of survival. Sustainable livelihood initiatives for vulnerable groups can break this cycle and decrease the desperation that drives exploitation.
“As a survivor leader, I call on the government, private sector, and civil society to hear the survivors. Our stories are not painful memories; they are warnings and calls to action. We must build safe spaces for victims to recover, a platform for survivors to take their rightful leadership, and a society that refuses to turn a blind eye to these crimes. The time to act is now — because every child deserves a life free from exploitation."
