World Hope International and the University of the Southern Philippines Foundation are implementing a project entitled “Research and Response to Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC) Amidst COVID-19 in the Philippines” through a grant from the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI). This launch event aims to gather all valued partners in the Anti-OSEC initiatives to learn more about this project and confirm commitments for working together to address OSEC.

The research project aims to add to the limited pool of knowledge on OSEC; specifically its impact on the mental health of survivors and the push factors driving OSEC in a time of the pandemic. The findings are expected to inform clinical care practices offered to OSEC survivors in the country and will be used in related projects, like PAVE II.

Meanwhile, the program will further enhance the competencies of the care providers in the case management of OSEC survivors through specialized learning programs, enabling survivors to be provided with quality and evidence-based therapeutic interventions.