Empowerment Technologies

Poverty: A trigger to cybersex trafficking

A Research Paper

presented by

Agape May T. Torres

June 19, 2018

Thesis Statement:

Poverty triggers cybersex trafficking among Filipino children.

Issue:

With the advent of technology, internet and online communication have been pervasive
and widely available today. People can now access, create, and share information online.
Moreover, it has given way to the rise of online selling. According to Mashable.com, “Social
media has become a platform that is easily accessible to anyone with internet access.
Additionally, social media serves as a relatively inexpensive platform for organizations to
implement marketing campaigns.”

In the Philippines, the rise of online selling has been evident today. The internet has
been invaded by online shops where people buy and sell. People see it as an effective
platform since it will not give you the hassle of going to actual shops just to buy what you
need. Transactions are easier since the seller and the buyer could just negotiate online.

Since social media and the internet have been considered inexpensive, people in the
lower class can somehow access them as well. Donald Patrick Lim, a 2015 The Outstanding
Young Men (TOYM) awardee, claims that digital technology is among the solutions for
poverty alleviation as this can connect those in the “bottom of the pyramid” to access
education and start business ("Digital technology to alleviate poverty," 2015). Furthermore,
people consider the internet as their source of income, relying on online jobs and or online
selling.

However, there are some who take advantage of the features the internet could give.
Several recent news would showcase cybercrimes concerning online selling and cybersex
trafficking. Nude photographs are now considered items of purchase. Some even get naked
on video calls as exchange for money, with the belief that the “clients” on the other side of
the screen cannot harm them physically.

In the Philippines, some Filipino kids face the threat of cybersex trafficking or “the
sexual abuse of children broadcast over the internet in exchange for money” ("cybersex
trafficking: the new threat facing children living in poverty," 2016). Julie Dowse, co-founder
of AusCam Freedom Project, says “Children, including toddlers are forced to perform sexual
acts and streamed online to pedophiles around the world”. In a recent case in Davao, a
mother was caught selling naked photos of her six-year-old son to foreigners she meets
online.

Cybersex trafficking is being triggered by poverty. Recent cases claim that victims of
cybersex trafficking are children of poor families. These children are often being exploited
by their own relatives or parents in exchange for money. In January 2014, the Philippine
National Police dubbed the country as a key hub of the billion-dollar global child cybersex
industry, exploiting minors as young as 2 years old. The clients of this industry are mostly
from the US and Europe.

Cybercrime Case Study

On June 14, 2018, Bonna Pamploma of ABS CBN News reported about an entrapment
operation done by PNP in Davao City regarding cybersex trafficking. A mother was caught
selling naked photos of her six-year-old son to foreign clients.

According to PNP Women and Children’s Protection Mindanao Field Unit

Superintendent Christine Tan, they have been observing the 27-year-old suspect since
March after receiving an information from a foreign counterpart. The woman allegedly asks
her six-year-old son to strip naked to sell photos of him to foreign clients. Police were able
to recover the photos of the said boy.

However, the suspect denies the allegation and insists that she only sells herself to the
said clients and not her son. She then admits that it is their financial insufficiency that
triggered her to do such act since she has no permanent job.

Foreign authorities were also able to capture the client who bought the photos of the
woman and her son. Police are still verifying whether the suspect also involved her two other
minor siblings in the illegal activity.
 Meanwhile, a case has been filed against the suspect for violating the RA 9208 or Anti-
Trafficking in Persons Act, RA 10175 or Cybercrime Prevention Act, RA 9975 or Anti-Child
Pornography Act, at RA 7610 or Anti-Child Abuse Act.

The victim is now under the custody of Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Conclusion

Internet has given so many opportunities to its users. It can be a platform for
information, communication, and business. Since it is inexpensive, it is considered a means
of alleviating poverty. However, abusing and misusing such features will not help alleviate
poverty but will just add to the problem. The emergence of the internet has enabled
exploitation and abuse, especially of children.

Poverty triggers child pornography and cybersex trafficking. With the thought that it is
their only escape from poverty, some people tend to commit cybercrimes. They feel that they
are left with no choice but to engage in such criminal acts, not minding the possible harm it
could bring. These poor people relied to cybersex to earn money, thinking it would save them
from financial instability and provide their needs. Relatives and or parents of these poor
children are the ones selling pornographic materials with these kids as the subject. Most of
these suspects claim that they just commit these crimes to suffice their financial needs and
not by choice. Therefore, poverty is the reason why people tend to engage in child
pornography and cybersex trafficking.
References:

Cybersex trafficking: the new threat facing children living in poverty. (2016, October
29). Retrieved from https://www.auscamfreedomproject.org/blog/cybersex-trafficking-
the-new-threat-facing-children-living-in-poverty
Digital technology to alleviate poverty. (2015, December 16). Retrieved from
http://citem.gov.ph/index.php/industry-news-list/1559-digital-technology-to-alleviate-
poverty
Jimeno, R. V. (2014, January 27). Corruption, poverty and cybersex crimes. Retrieved
from http://manilastandardtoday.com/opinion/columns/out-of-the-box-by-rita-linda-v-
jimeno/139069/corruption-poverty-and-cybersex-crimes.html
News, A. (2018, June 14). Nanay timbog sa 'online selling' ng maseselang retrato ng 6-
anyos na anak. Retrieved from http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/14/18/nanay-timbog-
sa-online-selling-ng-maseselang-retrato-ng-6-anyos-na-anak
Social Media Marketing. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://mashable.com/category/social-
media-marketing/