Viva’s Cutting Edge: Keeping Children Safe Online
“The more we talk about online sexual abuse, the more we shine a light on the stories of survivors, and from there, we gain the power to create change.” - Faith Benculado
Keeping Children Safe Online Summary
This session covered multiple aspects of how to address the issue of online sexual exploitation. Faith Benculado, a Philippine peer leader, called for youth-led advocacy and education to break the silence. Gigi Tupas from International Justice Mission (IJM) emphasised justice system reform and collaboration to combat trafficking, noting that many abusers are close relatives. Tina Jurado highlighted the grassroots efforts of the Philippines Children’s Ministries Network (PCMN), empowering communities and youth to protect children. Sharon Pursey of Safe2Net showcased AI-driven tech that blocks harmful content at the device level, advocating for safety by design. Representatives from Chicos.net shared practical steps for protecting children in a follow-up workshop. The overall message of the session was that global, cross-sector action is necessary to protect children online, and everyone has a part to play.
We must break the silence
As a youth advocate, Faith Benculado is very aware that online sexual abuse happens all around her, with the internet hurting children instead of being used as a tool for learning and connecting with others. “These abuses often happen silently, behind screens, in private chats, or on a hidden website. Worst of all, they are frequently unnoticed or unreported due to fear, shame, or a lack of understanding.” In response, children and youth must be educated about online safety, perpetrators must be held accountable, and victims must receive support: “Most importantly, we must break the silence … The more we talk about online sexual abuse, the more we shine a light on the stories of survivors, and from there, we gain the power to create change.” She asserted that not only do governments and NGOs have a responsibility to keep children safe, but churches, families, and all online users: “Together, let's protect every child, including those who cannot protect themselves.”
Cross-sector collaboration is a must – no matter what
Gigi Tupas, from International Justice Mission (IJM), stated that strengthening justice systems to enforce the law will deter criminals and protect people from violence, and that cross-sector collaboration is key in scaling demand for protection: “Working with government no matter what, working with the church no matter what, and other stakeholders no matter what.” IJM seeks to do four things: Strengthen justice systems; rescue and restore victims, bring criminals to justice and scale demand for protection. She noted that a working justice system will decrease crime rates by 50 to 85%, with the latter reduction seen in the Philippines, with a focus on decreasing incidences of online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC). Shockingly, “Over half of Filipino traffickers are the victims' parents, relatives, close family, friends, or neighbours. They transact using the same messaging and social media platforms we use to talk to family and friends.” The trauma that victims experience because of live streams, recordings and videos is extreme; some may also endure physical sexual abuse. “As one survivor said, it took me years, years to recover from the painful experiences, from the traumatic experiences.”
More than half of the victims in the Philippines are below 12 years of age, and a study in 2020 revealed that nearly half a million Filipino children were trafficked to produce new child sexual exploitation material in 2022 alone. IJM are working closely with partners such as the Philippine Children’s Ministries Network (PCMN) and Viva Denmark to “strengthen sub-national systems, meaning a strong local response and a strong community reporting (and) targeted national justice system enhancements, (and) government advocacy.” The desired outcome is “more successful rescue operations, more victims and at-risk children safeguarded, more survivors restored, suspects arrested, and offenders convicted.”
How the Philippine Children’s Ministry Network (PCMN) is taking action
Tina Jurado from PCMN shared that the Philippine government has taken steps to address the shocking prevalence of OSEC, including passing relevant laws, though this has not stemmed the vice. There is an element of secrecy and perpetuation since often it is relatives who are the abusers, “the very people who should protect children are the ones violating their trust.” Tina explained that PCMN works closely with local government units through formal partnerships, believing that prevention and protection must begin at the community level. They help to identify risks, raise awareness, and build local protection systems that safeguard children. For instance, in partnership with schools and the department of education, “we conducted teachers' training to equip educators on how to safeguard the wellbeing of children under their care and also by doing so to integrate child protection and anti-OSEC initiatives into the curriculum.”
Further, PCMN are helping to educate children about their rights, equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to identify and protect themselves from OSEC. One way this is done is by giving them a platform and a voice through the Youth for Safety organisation, “equipping them to speak up for themselves, actively participate in shaping legislation that affects them, and advocate effectively for the rights and protection of their peers.” This has been done alongside lobbying, policy dialogues, and the sharing of information and educational materials. There is a strong emphasis on reporting cases on local levels, but many challenges remain: some local officials do not view child protection as an urgent concern in comparison with other socio-economic issues, law enforcement is poor, a lot of ignorance is found within government and civil society, cultural norms can clash with messaging that is anti-OSEC, and community engagement is low. As they play their part in the Philippines, Tina’s plea is that other countries also “take concrete actions, particularly by enhancing and strengthening their policies and accountability mechanisms against perpetrators who exploit and abuse children in the Philippines.”
Technology and the faith community can make children safer
Sharon Pursey shared that she is the co-founder of Safe2Net, which asks the question, ‘How can technology help eradicate online sexual exploitation of children?’ Their answer is simple: “Every device that a child holds must be safe by default. No complicated setup, no circumventing tech, it just works. Safe out of the box, safety by design.” She explained that variations of their safeguarding technology are in 135 countries around the world, using AI to block harmful and illegal sexual imagery in real time, even when it's encrypted end-to-end on any application, so that sexual content involving children cannot be produced: explicit filming of children simply cannot happen. This is done by Harm Block, an algorithm embedded in the smart device's operating system, so no additional action is required. She explained that technical solutions are essential because, worldwide, that is where harm is occurring. For instance, in the UK, 81% of 12 to 15-year-olds have experienced harmful content online, and 20% have been pressured into sharing intimate images. “We have a generation of young people being sexualised by early exposure to porn and on a pathway towards sexual violence in later life and addiction to pornography.” Global adoption has its challenges; policymakers, governments, platforms and services are often unaware of what is possible or unwilling to make radical changes. Sharon sees the benefit of working in partnership with others, particularly faith communities, to advocate for good policy and justice for children: “Of course, technology alone is never enough. We all need people and willing partners to reset the harms of the internet … We need to bring faith back into it and we need to stop these harms.”
Practical steps for keeping children safe (Workshop)
An optional workshop was carried out with a presentation from Julián Diatri and Andrea Urbas from Chicos.net, who have worked for 25 years in childhood and digital environments, being pioneers in addressing risks like contact with strangers and other online dangers. Their mission is to promote responsible, meaningful use of digital environments by children and adolescents, providing tools for educators and families, conducting research, and organising workshops to understand trends in technology use. It was noted that socialisation has shifted from physical spaces to digital platforms, making online interaction central and pivotal to friendships. Some identified issues and things to consider include:
1. Screen Time: There’s no universal rule for ‘what is too much,’ but families and educators should set agreements and encourage balance between passive (scrolling) and active (creating) use.
2. Digital Footprint and Privacy: Everything shared online leaves a permanent mark. Content can be:
Public: Safe to share (e.g., hobbies).
Private: Should be limited to trusted circles (e.g., location).
Intimate: Should never be shared (e.g., personal photos).
3. Digital Coexistence and Cyberbullying: Such digital bullying amplifies harm through anonymity and viral spread. Hate speech and aggressive comments also pose risks. Violence should never be met with more violence; trust and dialogue are key.
4. Online betting as an emerging issue: Sports betting is increasingly normalised through advertising, even by popular athletes. This poses risks for minors, who may start gambling early. Regulation is often weak, so adults must actively monitor and educate children about these dangers.
Recommendations for adults included creating safe spaces for dialogue; strengthening social ties and promoting empathy online; collaboration among families, schools, and institutions; modelling good practices and discouraging aggressive behaviour; encouraging reflection and active listening (e.g., ‘screen-free dinners’); and understanding trends and influencers shaping children’s digital lives.
Chicos.net has launched a campaign called ‘The Best Influence’ that invites parents and caregivers to be positive digital role models and counter the fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) culture that drives risky behaviours online.
Trauma-informed care and the role of AI in caring for children are topics covered in separate sessions.
These sessions were from a Cutting Edge conference in July 2025, organised by Viva, an international charity that inspires, equips and connects networks of churches and community-based organisations to work together to make a bigger, better and longer-lasting impact in the lives of children. For more information about Viva or Cutting Edge, please visit viva.org.