Media Forum: Trafficking In Person and Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children

During the last day of May, 2022 a media forum was organized by Talikala, Inc. together with the City Mayor’s Office in partnership with the Philippine Information Agency Region XI with the support of AWO International and Save the Children Philippines.

This forum aimed to inform and update the media with their responsibilities toward creating a culture which delivers appropriate and safe news portrayal of child victims.

The first speaker was Prosecutor Barbara Flores who provided statistics on the current status of cases of Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children in the Philippines. The second speaker was Atty. Thaddeus Tuburan who discussed the law on Trafficking in Person.

It is worthy to note that the team on OSAEC is doing an information drive not only to probable victims but also to linkages or those members of the family due to a fact that perpetrators are mostly relatives. If and when people around victims are informed of the nature of these crimes, they will then be as vigilant as they can of their surroundings.

Though our laws are not as defined as that of other countries, slowly the City Government of Davao is on its way to formulate ordinances to help these victims who are unseen. Also, Telecommunications are positive when asked for forms of assistance or aid in this advocacy saying that they can help with restrictions. One suggestion is to strengthen the laws on money remittances and really investigate or be as black and white about the money that comes in and are received by Davaoeños.

The organizers are planning on a more extensive training to help people be informed in the Barangay levels.