Sweetie: A Virtual Filipina Child Exposes Sexual Predators

(credits to @JerryRobalino)

Along with the development of technology and the increasing use of the internet comes the increased risk of safety and abuse. In developing countries, many families find the convenience of using the internet as a source of income; and it is a sad fact that people abuse this privilege. One of the issues today is the increasing number of children who are victimized by child prostitution. According to UNICEF Philippines , children in developing countries are “made more vulnerable to this modern day form of slavery” (Lopez, 2013). Today, thousands of young Filipinas are victimized by a new form of child slavery and exploitation webcam child sex tourism. (Lopez, 2013)

    

globalnewsupdate.com

          In response to this, Terres de Hommes, a Dutch child- activist organization, along with Avaaz.org created “Sweetie” a computer- generated image of a ten- year- old girl from the Philippines in order to lure and identify pedophiles online who engage in cyber-sex.  According to Terre des Hommes, webcam child sex tourism takes place on a large scale in the Philippines, as well as other Southeast Asian countries because of the increased access of the internet, as well as the well-developed criminal infrastructure around child sexual exploitation and human trafficking (Terres de Hommes, n.d.).

     

     globalnewsupdate.com

           In an warehouse in Amsterdam, Terres de Hommes researchers operated a chatroom, and with the use of a software, was able to control Sweetie’s conversation, facial expressions, and movements. While the predators were chatting with the cyber image, Terres des Hommmes tracked down potential “customers” using the information that they provided such as social media profiles, phone numbers, pictures, and video footage. Over 20, 000 people have tried to make approaches and Sweetie, and through basic research techniques (not hacking) they were able to identify 1,000 adults from over 71 countries who offered to pay Sweetie to perform sexual acts over the webcam. (Quigley, 2013)

illionweb.com

            Albert Jaap Van Santbrink. Terres des Hommes’ director, reiterated that they were able to identify a thousand predators over just two and a half months, and wanted to express that if the government were to make a more active approach, much more people would be identified. In a statement he said that "The pertrators think they are invisible, but we proved that they are anything but." (Quigley, 2013).

Terre des Hommes and Avaaz.org has started an online petition to pressure governments into adopting a more active role in policies that investigate crimes against webcam child sex tourism.

The petition can be signed at www.youtube.com/sweetie

Terres de Hommes: http://www.terredeshommes.org/

Works Cited

Lopez, R. (2013, November 5). Virtual Filipina kid lures 1,000 ‘sexual predators’ worldwide. Retrieved from Manila Bulletin: http://www.mb.com.ph/virtual-filipina-kid-lures-1000-sexual-predators-worldwide/
Quigley, J. (2013, November 6). Virtual 10-Year-Old Filipina Reveals Thousands of Cybersex Predators. Retrieved from The Diplomat: http://thediplomat.com/2013/11/virtual-10-year-old-filipina-reveals-thousands-of-cyber-predators/
Terres de Hommes. (n.d.). WCST AS A PHENOMENON. Retrieved from Terres de Hommes: https://d3hbxfkt92wlh4.cloudfront.net/inc/FAQ_EN.pdf