This public link is valid for 7 days and shares a thread, including any personal information you added. This link or copies made by others cannot be deleted. If you share with third parties, their policies apply. Can’t copy the link right now. Try again later.
Economic losses caused by the pandemic forced many families into poverty, making children more susceptible to traffickers promising jobs or money.
Lockdown restrictions meant that social services, protection hotlines, and schools—which often act as the first line of defense in identifying abuse—were either closed or inaccessible [1]. The Lasting Impact and Response
Exploitation manifested in diverse, often hazardous, industries across the region:
Social services were overwhelmed, and many frontline NGOs struggled to reach victims due to movement restrictions [2].
The surge in exploitation exposed several regulatory and structural vulnerabilities across Asian nations during the pandemic era:
In the Philippines alone, the Department of Justice documented a 264% rise in online sexual abuse and exploitation materials in early 2021.
Several systemic factors contributed to the prevalence of exploited teenagers in 2021:
There was a marked increase in the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), often coerced from teenagers via social media apps and messaging platforms [1].
: Lockdowns forced teenagers onto internet-connected devices at a pace that far outstripped regional digital literacy programs. Predators quickly capitalized on this unregulated virtual environment. Key Forms of Exploitation in 2021
