Greetings from our IJM Philippines team! For the last 6 years, I’ve been working in the Philippines to help put an end to child trafficking. During this time, I’ve had the privilege of seeing the impact of your support over and over again. A big win we celebrated was a 75% reduction in the number of children available for commercial sex trafficking in Metro Manila. So first and foremost, I want to thank you for your generosity and continued support.

Today, I want to update you on a new and dangerous form of trafficking we’ve seen emerge as the world has moved online during this pandemic—one with the Philippines as its global hotspot.

It is called the online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC). Put plainly, it is the livestreaming of child sexual abuse for profit. This form of trafficking exploits children in seconds all around the world.

What was once relegated to brothels, bars, and back-alleys, is now easily available online. The global expansion of the internet and social media platforms has put even more children at risk of violence and abuse. And to compound this horrific reality, as COVID-19 forced children to be locked in their homes, the rates of abuse have grown exponentially. And continues to rise.

We need your help. I’m writing to invite you to partner with us again in this crucial work to protect children. Together, we can stop OSEC and slavery for good.