ALL these reports about child cyberpornography being pushed by the children's parents themselves in Cebu makes us wonder, why is there no such report emanating from our part?
While it would be of such pride if we can confirm that Davao City is child cyberpornography-free, it is still a cause for worry since the reports that we are getting from the Visayas is that these are home-based operations. It has reached levels that require legislation by the affected local government units.
Just recently, Lapu-lapu City moved to regulate the Pisonet enterprise to further strengthen its fight against against cyberpornography, which victimizes children and minors. This came after a rescue of a minor caught committing cyberporn in pisonet outlet.
Cybersex moms and grandmas are the usual perpetrators behind the underaged victims of trafficking, the Sun.Star Cebu editorial yesterday, July 15, read.
According to the International Justice Mission (IJM), 99 victims were rescued from 38 anti-online cyberpornography operations since 2011. Fifty-four of the 99 rescued victims were 12 years old and below; 32, minors aged above 12 years old; and 13, adults, reported SunStar Cebu.
Victims are often blood relations or neighbors of their perpetrators, making the family a site of danger, far from a place of nurture or a refuge.
Sun.Star Cebu further reported last June 26 that the Mandaue City Council approved on first reading the Money Transfer Ordinance 2017, which regulates the establishments offering money remittance services. Proponents Vice Mayor Carlo Foruna and Councilor Cynthia Remedio want to regulate the firms to prevent these from serving as conduits of illegal activities, such as human trafficking, OSEC, fraud and extortion. But Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale, who chairs the Cebu Provincial Women’s Commission, is not so confident about this attempt to crack down saying that cybersex den operators have also learned to dodge the authorities by avoiding transacting in one money transfer firm in the barangay more than once.
We can never claim that Dabawenyos are saints and there is no one there who has thought about this. There will always be that fear, especially because it is happening.
Initial inquiries could only reveal that there are rumors, but no one has yet verified whether these rumors are true, since as the Cebu experience shows, many are home-based.
Maybe our child-centered non-government organizations and the constant intervention of the City Social Services and Development Office are serving as deterrents. We hope so.
Or it can be that no one is checking. We certainly hope this is not the case.