{"id":16207,"date":"2023-10-25T04:03:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-25T09:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.destinyrescue.org\/?p=16207"},"modified":"2023-11-02T11:16:47","modified_gmt":"2023-11-02T16:16:47","slug":"destiny-rescue-takes-on-osaec-in-the-philippines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.destinyrescue.org\/blog\/destiny-rescue-takes-on-osaec-in-the-philippines\/","title":{"rendered":"Destiny Rescue Takes on OSAEC in the Philippines"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Over the last several months, our team in the Philippines has begun pursuing more cases of <\/span>online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC or OSEC)<\/span><\/a> in the region as this particularly horrific form of child abuse continues to increase.<\/span><\/h5>\n

Investigating OSAEC cases is arduous; criminals hide behind layers of fake personas and victims are notoriously challenging to locate. Children can suffer abuse for years before agents and officers have accumulated enough data to build a case and track down abusers who often live a continent away.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reaching into the dark<\/span><\/h2>\n

In the meantime, the horrifying videos and photos our agents help police pore through leave their mark. Because of the nature of the internet, OSAEC victims are often younger, the customers are more twisted in their indulgences\u2014and our agents must witness those atrocities in an effort to locate the victims and maximize the charges brought against offenders.<\/span><\/p>\n

Being forced to watch such unspeakable cruelties is heartbreaking, but knowing they may find some small clue in the process spurs agents to complete their work as quickly as possible\u2014because the alternative is much worse.<\/span><\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Police tape covers the entrance to a location in the Philippines where 23 young women and girls were rescued in 2022<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

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One of our agents, Athena, said it best: \u201cThis is the reason why undercover work is done meticulously, covertly and carefully: one mistake can cost the life and freedom of the child.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Their reason for viewing this sickening material is simple: <\/span>\u201cwe watch it so it ends with us.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

In addition to helping local authorities locate traffickers and their victims, our agents have also assisted in raids to free these children. After the police carefully collate the combined evidence into a cohesive case, rescue operations must be swift and seamless to prevent the trafficker from escaping with the children.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Officers have to act fast so that traffickers don\u2019t destroy all the evidence amassed on their devices: recovering phones and other devices is paramount to completing the body of evidence for prosecutors as well as locating and rescuing other victims. <\/span><\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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A National Bureau of Investigations (NBI) agent logs evidence after a raid in collaboration with Destiny Rescue in the Philippines <\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

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Healing from uniquely acute trauma<\/span><\/h2>\n

But as Athena pointed out, the raid is only the beginning for these survivors: \u201dThe real heavy workload lies in the hands of the social workers and counselors in charge of the healing and rehabilitation journey of the child survivor.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As unthinkable as it may seem, most of these poor victims are abused by their parents or guardians. Paid by pedophiles and predators all over the globe, parents follow the paying offender\u2019s twisted online instructions, abusing their children in front of a camera. Because the victims trust and even love the person who feeds, clothes and raises them, they often don\u2019t fully understand the abuse they suffer. Some kids are enticed with toys or shopping trips if they cooperate, led to believe this is a perfectly normal way to earn money. They\u2019re told by their parents that the strange \u201cplay\u201d they endure helps feed the family and that the humiliation they suffer in front of a camera is actually a way of showing love. <\/span><\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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A Philippines Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) social worker comforts and shields a girl from the media <\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

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During a raid, these hurt children don\u2019t understand that they\u2019re being rescued from an abuser; they only feel like they\u2019re being taken from their parents. It can take years of counseling and trauma therapy to comprehend what\u2019s happened to them and heal from the suffering.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s why brave social workers rush in seconds after police secure the area. Their job is to lessen the trauma of the event and quickly relocate the children to a safe, comfortable location.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After initial health checks, the children are separated from the chaos of the raid and taken to a child-friendly room with toys and games at police headquarters. This room is designed to be a calm, peaceful space apart from all the stressful law enforcement actions. While there, licensed social workers begin sensitive, trauma-informed interviews to complete the police investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then the real work begins. Once the children are taken to government-run or private shelters, officials decide what recovery path each child will take and for how long. Specially trained social workers are instrumental in helping the child begin the arduous healing process as gently as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Learn more about how Destiny Rescue is tackling heinous OSEC crimes<\/span>.<\/span><\/h5>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The task is daunting, but the rewards are worth the effort.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Survivors\u2019 journeys to healing will be long, but thanks to the combined efforts of our agents and police, <\/span>their journeys have begun<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to be a part of stopping this vile trade, please consider becoming a Rescue Partner. Your monthly gift will help fund raids that rescue children and put their offenders behind bars.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fill out the form below to rescue a child today.<\/span><\/h5>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n