The New Plague: Online child abuse
The world has experienced many disasters and different types of plagues. The most recent was the COVID-19 pandemic and its variants since 2019. We are still battling this viral epidemic. But there is a new plague that is neither organic, bacterial, viral nor chemical. It has been around for the past decade.
Dr. Bernadette Madrid, Ramon Magsaysay Laureate, spoke extemporaneously during the Dr. Jose Albert Memorial Lecture. The topic is close to her heart: Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OCSAE).
A multi-awarded and respected pediatrician, Dr. Madrid is the Director of Child Protection Network’s Philippine General Hospital-Child Protection Unit (PGH-CPU) which was established decades ago. From a single room in the beginning, there are now more than 150 CPUs and WPUs (Women Protection Units) around the country.
“The new plague has been driven by the seamless integration of digital life into children’s worlds where one in three global internet users are minors. Social media normalizes child sexualization through self-generated imagery influencers, and sexting,” Dr. Madrid explained.
ALARMING STATISTICS
In 2020, a study showed that two million children were subject to grave OCSAE in one year.
Globally, 300 million children are affected. One case is reported every second. One in eight children face nonconsensual image offenses and solicitation.
Children are “natives” of the internet, without boundaries between their online and offline lives. The pandemic exacerbated this 21st century phenomenon. People (adults and children) were in lockdown and stressed. “The ecological system is a traditional microsystem consisting of family, peers, and school. This environment has now been invaded by a techno-subsystem (digital world) that surrounds children more closely than the family,” said Dr. Madrid.
The complex situation is started by the parental uploading of baby and child photos. Unknowingly, they are risking exploitation of their children by predators. Evidence gathered shows that pedophiles view the images for sexual gratification.
Then there is a group known as “child influencers.” They gain millions of viewers. Their parents act as managers. They turn the activity into a 24/7 job without boundaries between work and life.
“Social media sexualizes children through adult-like poses, normalizing it,” Dr. Madrid remarked. The influence on children is tremendous. Peer acceptance is such that children imitate sexualized poses from social media “to fit in.”
In 2022, the Internet Watch Foundation reported 50% of self-generated sexual images involve girls at puberty — ages 11 to 13. It is not clear whether these images are taken voluntarily, coerced, or groomed. The fact is the Philippines has been a target for the online predators for more than two decades.
Romantic relationships are the reason for online courtship, “situationships, and sexting (exchanging photos and videos of nudes and sexual acts). This is common among teens exploring sexuality and LGBTQ+ youth.” The reasons for sharing nudes, according to Interpol and UNICEF studies including the Philippines, are “being in love, flirting, or fun.” The children do not think there is anything wrong which what they are doing.
The exposed youth learn from each other without perceiving the activity as wrong. There is a blurred sense of propriety, of what is right or wrong; what is good or bad.
ACCESS
Dr. Madrid defined the dynamics of OCSAE. “It involves digital internet communication technologies in the abuse and exploitation continuum. It can be fully online or hybrid online offline. The impact of the internet enhances the productions and distribution of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). It turns secret abuses (e.g., incest) into monetizable content.
“The effects of ICT are the increased perpetrator access to victims (even in bedrooms). The offenders gain social validation in online communities.”
There are research challenges such as varied definitions and categories. The sub-types are online solicitation (grooming), non-consensual sharing of videos and images, exposure to unwanted sexual content (porn), online sexual exploitation (live streaming), and sexual extortion (sextortion).
The perpetrator study revealed that in the United Kingdom, the USA, and Canada, one in nine men are offenders.
The US-based MCMEC CyberTipline noted that there was an “Explosion” [of tips] from 2010-2023 and in 2024 they received 20.5 million reports, 80% of reports involving non-US children. They received 1.7 million reports from the Philippines (2nd highest overall and 1st per 1,000 citizens).
TYPES OF ABUSE
The sub-types of OCSAE are:
1) Online grooming which can be hybrid online offline. This has been five stages: victim selection (vulnerable needy child), access, isolation, trust-building (to meet needs and desensitize via porn), sexual request and abuse, and post-abuse secrecy strategies. In the Philippines one can find a video advising foreigners on grooming steps (mall approach, fast food meal, hotel invite).
The PGH-CPU audit of September 2025 reveals that “the boyfriend is the top perpetrator. It starts online via phone, Facebook and progresses to offline assault.”
2) Live Streaming. The child performs sexual acts and nudity on camera, directed by a remote adult. The facilitator negotiates payment. It is estimated that 500,000 Filipino children are trafficked for new material by 250,000 adult Filipinos. Eighty-three percent of the facilitators are parents and relatives. It is a “family business.” Mothers sell their children as they claim poverty. Abuse is more severe with parental involvement. Payments are made via money services (81% international, 53% US, 10% domestic). Small fees ($3-$50) and frequent small amounts are red flags.
3) Exposure to unwanted sexual content such as porn. Fifty percent of Filipino youth have been exposed in the last three months.
4) AI-Generated CSAM had a massive increase of 1,325% from 2023-2024. While there are no “real” victims, it encourages the sadistic abuse of younger children. The faces of celebrities and victims are often used in these AI images. There are also “nudify” apps that lead to extortion, bullying, and suicide attempts among teens.
PERPETRATORS AND RISK FACTORS
Forty-four percent of perpetrators are peers, 68% are acquaintances or family. The non-consensual misuse by peers has the greater impact on the victim: betrayal and humiliation.
When we look at victim risk factors, these include their online behavior with the frequent use of chat rooms. Others are psychological difficulties, female non-heterosexual experiences, and low parental education.
The targeted children show changes in device use: the victim is secretive and prefers room isolation. There are unexplained gifts and money. There are mood and behavior shifts, suddenly there are failing grades, the child is skipping school, they may be depressed or engage in substance abuse.
VICTIM NEEDS
The victim needs a sensitive, patient, non-judgmental, no-blame approach. Parent education is necessary.
Talk to the kids. Discuss rules such as no devices in the bedroom. Charge devices in the parents’ room. Limit screen time. Delay the use of smartphones and social media. Australia’s example: Social media access is only allowed at 16 instead of 13.
“Despite tech detections, challenges like encryption persist. This requires a public health prevention model — Primordial to tertiary — integrated across INSPIRE strategies, emphasizing multisector collaboration to protect children and address both the victims and offenders.”
Dr. Madrid concluded her lecture with an appropriate quote from the young saint of the Internet, St. Carlo Acutis: “Focus on internal battles against corrupt passions. Battle for children’s souls.”
Maria Victoria Rufino is an artist, writer and businesswoman. She is president and executive producer of Maverick Productions.
