Dear Family and Friends,

In the last year, I have served as a Fellow with International Justice Mission. An international organization that seeks to protect millions of people from slavery and trafficking. I chose the Philippines due to the crime type that IJM targets. IJM PH focuses only on Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSAEC). Through IJM’s research, it is seen that 1 in 100 Filipino Children or 500,000 Children are exploited by OSAEC in the Philippines. The devastating reality for those children is the connection of abuse and family. It was shown that a majority of abusers or facilitators of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSEM) are often parents, caregivers and commonly found to be women. Whereas, the buyers, as you may expect or should expect, are commonly western men.

Your imagination of this crime may capture some of what the children experience, yet the wonderings of your mind cannot grasp the actions some children experience on a normal basis. Many cases involve sexualized, nude dancing with one or multiple children, and can also include self-touching and child-on-child sexual contact. OSAEC cases can also include statutory rape and other extreme forms of abuse. Demand-side perpetrators make specific requests for what they want children to do in these videos. They direct the abuse and are active participants in it. It is false to say they are merely bystanders watching a video; they are active abusers as well, showing the depravity of OSAEC to the full scale.

Over the last four years, I have worked in the child welfare system through Indiana Child Protection, residential facilities and anti-trafficking programs. Without regret, my mind is fully aware and knowing of what it means for a child to be abused and trafficked. Sexual abuse, shame and other forms of maltreatment that are inflicted by parents deeply harm developing children. I chose to work with IJM PH because OSAEC is happening to younger and younger children and facilitated by parents. The effect of this is catastrophic and also not fully understood by researchers and professionals. I believe this work aligns with the direction of my life, career and passions.

For additional information and updates proceed to my newsletter subscription. 

https://mailchi.mp/c11101208283/along-for-the-journey