A Philippine regional trial court in northern Pampanga province has sentenced an American to life imprisonment on charges of sexually exploiting Filipino children using webcams and then selling their videos, photos and livestream to buyers abroad.
The abuser was arrested based on the information provided by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A recent study by International Justice Mission indicates that the Philippines has emerged as a global hotspot for sexual exploitation of children online. Factors such as poverty, wide use of English, availability of internet access and international cash transfer systems have aided in the growth of child abuse online in the Philippines.