UNODC Champions Team Against Online Child Exploitation in Southeast Asia Amid Rising COVID-19 Challenges
Manila, Philippines – The surge in online child abuse in the Philippines has intensified, with investigations revealing that the disturbing trend has escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This rise is attributed largely to increased financial desperation and a dangerous misperception that virtual exploitation does not constitute real harm. Cheng Veniles, a national program officer for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), highlighted the severe nature of this issue during a recent workshop. Veniles …