WHAT happened to the 22-year-old Cebuana whose lewd video spread on Facebook is a lesson to be learned for all the girls who engage in such lewd acts in the internet. Now, she filed a complaint before the police anti-cyber crime division because her naked photos “playing with her private part” were emailed to her relatives by her “unidentified friend.” This is not to add insult to injury of the victim because her right was violated, but sometimes we can say “good for her.” Sa Bisaya pa “mirisi.” First and foremost, why do some girls allow themselves to be willing victims in this kind of scheme in the internet without thinking of the repercussions of their actions? Because of money, out of curiosity or lust?
Cybersex is related to cyberpornography, which is very rampant in our country. Parents use their innocent children in this illegal online business. Cyberpornography is the act of using cyberspace to create, display, distribute, import or publish pornography or obscene materials, especially materials depicting children engaged in sexual acts with adults. Their clients are mostly foreigners who are pedophiles.
Why did this girl entertain a total stranger in social media and just show her private parts? Was it because of money or just to satisfy her lust? The girl comes from a family of good standing as her mother claimed that she was provided with everything because the girl’s father is a seaman. Lust or just out of curiosity? If lust, why do it in the internet? Why not do it with her boyfriend so that she can taste the “real thing”? There is no substitute to warm body.
Most of those who engaged in cyberpornography are girls that come from poor families. Poverty is one of the causes of cyberpornography. Families under economically desperate conditions use their children as instruments of income. Why? Simply because of economic factor. In countries such as the Philippines, children aged five or six are sold and used in child pornography.
This is rampant even in our locality, like in the town of Cordova, a third class municipality with so many residents having no decent means of livelihood. So far, there have been so many parents, together with their children, residing in the town that were arrested because of their involvement in cyberpornography.
The widespread availability of internet pornography has made it possible for millions of people to get sexual gratification easily, frequently, and without any public attention. But because we so widely associate attraction to pornography with men and because the internet in general is relatively a recent phenomenon, there has been very little scrutiny, either academic research for popular media on women who become addicted to cybersex.
The first case of cyberpornography in Cebu that was busted by authorities was that of the online business operated by then vice governor John-John Osmeña and his American partner, Daniel Mechanic. I was one of those responsible why it was raided by police authorities. There were three beautiful newly graduate ladies who came to the station at GMA 7 and complained that they worked for the online business of Osmeña and Mechanic.
The ladies told me that their work was just to face the web cam and show their breasts to their clients, mostly foreigners. They received incentives from Osmeña and Mechanic. Determined to report their “indecent working condition” to the police, I requested the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 to monitor Osmeña’s business. They found out that Osmeña was operating a cyberpornography business. So, the police raided the place.
Many people are victims of poverty and even generational poverty, passed-down impoverishment from the previous generations. Many of the vulnerable populations experience exploitation in the sex industry. Matod pa sa panultihon nga “Ang kawad-on maoy magtukmod usahay sa usa ka tawo nga mohimo ug malaw-ay nga binuhatan.” Unsaon man nato kini sa pagpakgang?