IJM welcomes first ambassador Amanda Griffin Jacob
INTERNATIONAL Justice Mission (IJM) has appointed its inaugural ambassador, social media influencer and founder of Glam-O-Mamas (GOM) Amanda Griffin Jacob, to support the fight against the livestreaming of child sexual abuse.
In her diverse career, Jacob has worked as a model and TV presenter, been an entrepreneur, and touched multiple industries. Yet, her favorite job is being a mother.
Jacob, who has three sons and a daughter, was galvanized to action after learning about IJM's work against such exploitation in 2019 and finding out the Philippines was a global hotspot for this crime. Listening to countless victims' stories made the discovery even more painful.
"I am thrilled and honored to be recognized today as an IJM Ambassador and Lead Influencer in the fight against online sexual exploitation of children," Jacob said.
"Since learning about this heinous crime and its impact on children across the Philippines, I've resolved to use my voice and platform -- and rally other influencers to do the same -- to elevate this issue into the global consciousness until every child anywhere in the world is protected from such unspeakable suffering," she said.
"IJM is pleased to have Amanda, whose passion for this cause has been evident from the start, as our Ambassador and Lead Influencer. We are deeply thankful to her for not looking the other way when she heard of this issue last year and immediately deciding to take this up as her advocacy. We are excited to take our relationship and collaboration to the next level as we catalyze a global movement to end the scourge of online sexual exploitation of children," said lawyer Samson Inocencio Jr., vice president of IJM Global Hub Against Online Sexual Exploitation of Children.
IJM recognizes how deep social media's roots go and that influencers have become catalysts for mass marketing, campaigning and information sharing. This creates an incredible opportunity to propel IJM towards its 2030 Vision of protecting half a billion people. IJM ambassadors will be equipped to amplify IJM's message through collaborative advocacy efforts.
"IJM's model of government partnership and collaboration proves that the Philippines is a global leader in addressing this crime. I am encouraged that the government is taking such a strong stance against this crime and demonstrating its commitment to protecting children rescue by rescue, conviction by conviction. To end this crime, we must also end impunity and protect children from ever being abused in the first place," Jacob added.
Four in five cases involve parents and relatives who livestream the sexual exploitation of children for paying child sex offenders around the world. As a devoted mother, Jacob found this aspect particularly heinous.
In May, Jacob spearheaded Mother's Day campaign #dontJUSTsendflowers in collaboration with other leading Filipina influencers, rallying Filipinos towards the cause. Since then, Jacob's resolve to end such crime has only strengthened.
Jacob is taking part in a second online campaign to be launched on November 23, 2020, alongside 21 other influencers from around the world committed to using their voices on behalf of children suffering from online sexual exploitation.
She will also be participating as a speaker at the Global Resolve Against Online Sexual Exploitation of Children: A Global Virtual Summit, which will run from Wednesday, November 18 to Friday, November 20, 2020. She will speak during the session, "Global Voices Against Online Sexual Exploitation of Children," on the 20th.
Organized by the Philippines' Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking in Persons, in partnership with the US Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office) and IJM, the summit aims to strengthen the international community's resolve to end online sexual exploitation of children. (PR)