A troubling number of Australians are implicated in fueling child abuse networks in the Philippines, with 13 individuals facing charges and 92 children being rescued this year alone.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) collaborates closely with law enforcement agencies in the Philippines to tackle the issue of online child sexual exploitation.
So far, 35 operations have resulted in the liberation of 92 young victims, some as young as six years old.
These efforts have led to charges against 13 Australians and 18 suspected facilitators operating in the Philippines.
Among those charged is a 74-year-old man from Western Australia, who received a 23-year prison sentence for offenses involving the sexual abuse of 15 children over nine years. A 52-year-old man from Victoria has also been sentenced to 10 years and 10 months for 27 related charges.
According to AFP Detective Sergeant Leesa Alexander, based in Manila, it is “horrific” to see the extent to which Australians are contributing to the demand for child abuse in the Philippines.
“Child abuse is abhorrent and can leave victims with a lifelong burden,” she said.
Australian offenders allegedly pay for child abuse material from facilitators in the Philippines, who extort children as a way to make money.
Authorities believe Australians are major offenders because of the similar time zones between the two countries, direct flights from most capital cities and the large English-speaking population in the Philippines.
The Philippines also has excellent internet infrastructure.
AFP Commander of Human Exploitation, Helen Schneider, said every action online is traceable.
“Let me be clear, just because the offending may not happen in Australia, we will still find you,” she said.
The AFP refers matters to the Philippine Internet Crimes Against Children Centre (PICACC), which is a global response to online child abuse with help from authorities in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.
Those matters are then allocated to the Philippines National Police or the Philippines National Bureau of Investigation.
Since the inception of PICACC in February 2019, there have been 324 operations, which have led to 865 victims rescued and 187 people charged.
AFP investigations led to 77 of those people being charged and 315 victims being saved.
