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“The youngest child we saved was only two months old”: what is “live streaming”, this scourge plaguing the Philippines?

The Internet has become a privileged terrain for sexual predators, particularly thanks to new technologies. Live streaming, a practice of broadcasting child abuse live, particularly thrives in the Philippines, where poverty and inadequate laws allow this trafficking to flourish. Warning: the acts mentioned in this article as well as the associated video contain scenes not recommended for young or sensitive audiences.

With the development of digital technology, social networks and online games have become privileged spaces for predators. It is estimated that one in three children has already been sexually solicited online, a situation made easier by the great availability of children in front of their screens.

Since 2010, an even more sordid phenomenon has grown: live streaming. This practice involves ordering and paying to view sexual assault, rape or torture of children, live or via recorded videos.

The victims, often very young, are forced to endure these acts to satisfy growing global demand. Behind each screen hides a sponsor ready to pay, transforming this exploitation into a lucrative business.

The Philippines, epicenter of this trafficking

Although this phenomenon is global, the Philippines is its epicenter. This archipelago of 7,641 islands, where 20% of the population lives in extreme poverty, has become a favorite place for sexual predators.

Traffickers, often parents or relatives of children, offer online “shows” at ridiculous prices, generally between $20 and $60. “The most alarming thing is not only the amount, but the frequency of payments”explains an undercover agent from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), an American agency specializing in the fight against cybercrime.

In addition to live streams, traffickers sometimes offer their victims in person to predators who travel to the Philippines to directly abuse children.

An essential but complex infiltration

To fight against this scourge, law enforcement, notably the HSI and the FBI in the United States, infiltrate these networks by posing as child criminals. They build trust with traffickers over months, while trying to stop crimes before they are carried out.

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However, investigations are made difficult by Philippine laws. A video showing a crime in progress is not sufficient evidence. Indeed, a direct witness to the crime is necessary so that the suspects can be arrested.

Despite these obstacles, results are being obtained. In a recent mission, HSI agents and Philippine police conducted three operations in 15 days, freeing 11 children.

Ever younger victims

The victims of this trafficking are mainly children aged 7 to 9, but sometimes much younger. “The youngest child we rescued was only two months old”confides an undercover agent.

The Philippines is not alone in being affected: Romania, once a hotbed of live streaming, has managed to reduce this phenomenon, proving that change is possible.

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