Elianna Kirsten R.

Salinas 10 - Pascal

“The Man Behind the Lens: How Child Pornography Takes Hold of Our
Children"

In 2018, an Australian man named Peter Scully and his ex-partner Carme Ann
Alvarez were found guilty of human trafficking and rape in six cases involving seven
children, one of whom was slain and interred at one of the rental homes owned by
the couple in Surigao City, and were sentenced to life in prison. Scully, alongside with
his accomplices, sexually abused the children they had enticed to come with them,
and tortured and chained them. These children were as young as one year old to
thirteen years old. The sexual abuse and torture were then recorded and uploaded
to a porn website.

As horrifying as this case may have been, this might have been one of the
cases that, fortunately, was brought to light and justice served for the children and
their families. Children, as vulnerable as they are, have been victims of human
trafficking, such as child pornography. The helplessness of the situations of these
children can either be left undiscovered or, with desperation, be able to escape and
find help.

A report from 2020 published by the International Justice Mission, a

Washington-based organization, referred to the Philippines as a global hotspot for
cybersexual abuse, citing strong internet access, entrenched poverty, and opaque
international currency transfer mechanisms as the main reasons why young people
there were at risk. Impoverished children, who lack proper guidance and are
neglected, can fall victim to these pedophiles.

Consequently, victims of child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, may

experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), wherein the terrible incident is
relived by the victims through intense dreams, flashbacks, or undesired
recollections. They can also experience guilt and shame for not being able to stop the
abuse, even if it was not their fault in the first place. They can also experience issues
with their self-esteem, have difficulty forming intimate relationships, and perhaps
rely on substances and alcohol to cope with the problems that come with their
trauma.

Every child deserves a nurturing environment where they know of love and
not the cruelty of the world they were born into. To give justice to crimes committed
such as this, the state implements the Republic Act No. 9775 or the Anti‐Child
Pornography Act of 2009. This law aims to protect every child from all forms of
exploitation and abuse, including, but not limited to: (1) the use of a child in
pornographic performances and materials; and (2) the inducement or coercion of a
child to engage in or be involved in pornography through whatever means. And also,
to formulate comprehensive and integrated plans and programs to prevent and
suppress any form of child pornography.

A strong implementation of this law can keep our children safe from the
hands of sex offenders. But the fight against child pornography cannot be won if
children are around negligent adults. We cannot always depend on the government
to keep our children safe. It is better for parents to give up their children in
orphanages than for them to sell them to even worse people than they are.

Our children are said to be the hope of our future, but before that, let us first
show them what hope really looks like in the midst of all the turmoil we are all
facing. This can only be done by upholding justice, dignity, and courage as the virtues
we should all live by.