It has recently become clear that the Philippines serves as the epicenter for online child sexual abuse since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Predominantly, Western clients pay a mere few dozen dollars to witness the live rape of minors. Tragically, the perpetrators are usually family members who engage in acts of incest for financial gain, with extremely impoverished Filipinos earning the equivalent of a year’s salary in a matter of days. This disturbing phenomenon thrives due to the country’s pervasive poverty and easy access to the internet, further exacerbated by the anonymity provided by online streaming which makes investigations challenging. Despite the authorities regularly apprehending families caught live-streaming the abuse of their children, it is still not adequate in combating the online sexual exploitation of children. William de Tamaris and Justin McCurry share their findings in this report.

Source: https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/focus/20250311-philippines-authorities-look-to-tackle-online-child-sex-abuse