Behind the Headlines: Survivors before stories

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — In a world where breaking news quickly matters and digital engagement often takes center stage, we must remember that shares, comments, and reactions can have real-life consequences.

In the case of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), a story that generates engagement may also expose survivors to further harm.

Reporting their stories should never come at the expense of their dignity, safety, and protection.

International Justice Mission (IJM) Philippines, in partnership with the Philippine Survivor Network (PSN) and STET Women in Cebu, organized a media training for journalists from the Visayas and Mindanao to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed for trauma-informed, survivor-centered, and impactful reporting on OSAEC.

The training was held from Oct. 19 to 21, 2026, at Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

Dubbed “Stories That Matter, Communities That Protect: Media Training and Peer Learning Exchange on Survivor-Centered Reporting of OSAEC,” the program included sessions on the current OSAEC landscape, the nature and impact of OSAEC-related trauma, sociocultural drivers, and trauma-informed reporting practices.

Joining me from Bacolod City were Negros Press Club (NPC) president Prime Tejida of DYHB RMN Bacolod, NPC vice president Lourd John Diaz of Aksyon Radyo Bacolod, and Mitch Lucero of iFM Bacolod.

Most of the time, we tell stories by focusing on how and why something happened, often without considering how traumatic it can be for survivors to relive their experiences simply by recalling them.

Behind these questions are people who struggle every day to survive and keep painful memories of the past from haunting them.

A story should be about more than the details of what happened.

It should also recognize the pain, lasting impact, and emotional weight that survivors carry.

For them, recounting their experiences can mean reliving the trauma all over again, reopening wounds that run deep, even long after the initial experience.

National data from IJM-supported cases showed that from 2011 to Sept. 22, 2026, 1,736 survivors were rescued, 587 were restored, 466 suspects were arrested, and 297 perpetrators were convicted.

IJM’s 2023 Scale of Harm study also revealed a significant national prevalence of trafficking of children to produce new child sexual exploitation material (CSEM).

The study, conducted with the University of Nottingham Rights Lab, estimated that nearly half a million Filipino children, or approximately one in every 100, were sexually abused by traffickers in 2022 to create new CSEM for sale to offenders around the world.

It also found that nearly a quarter of a million adult Filipinos, or roughly three in every 1,000, were involved in financially motivated CSEM production.

Based on IJM-supported cases from Jan. 1, 2011, to Oct. 23, 2026, in Bacolod City, 16 survivors were rescued, eight were restored, six suspects were arrested, seven were charged, and four perpetrators were convicted.

The scale of the problem underscores the importance of stronger enforcement of Republic Act No. 11930, or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act, which was enacted in 2022.

OSAEC is a reality, and the questions we should be asking should not focus solely on the nightmares survivors have endured, but rather on how they can overcome their trauma and how we can prevent such abuse from happening again.

This training reminded me that we can tell these stories differently.

Instead of dwelling on the painful experiences of survivors, we can focus on solutions, prevention, accountability, and the actions needed to ensure that these cases do not happen again.

Covering OSAEC is not simply about writing straight news.

It requires a more thoughtful and sensitive approach, as journalists must consider various factors, especially the safety, privacy, and well-being of survivors.

Another important consideration is the proper handling of photos, videos, and even demographic information that could be used to identify survivors.

This is critical, and journalists must be mindful of it.

We know that in this digital age, visuals play an important role in storytelling.

However, when reporting on these sensitive issues, using identifiable images and information may put survivors at risk.

Their protection must always come first.

Meanwhile, the media plan crafted by Team Bacolod was recognized during the closing and awarding ceremonies of the media training.

The team presented a multiplatform plan that addresses issues affecting sugarcane workers, their families, and the broader Sugarlandia communities.

The plan underscores the link between economic vulnerability in sugar farming areas and the heightened risk of OSAEC among children, advocating survivor-centered and community-based reporting.

What we have learned poses a challenge to the media industry.

While newsrooms may have different practices and approaches, one principle should remain universal: the welfare of survivors must always come first.

I hope this opens more opportunities for journalists to participate in similar training programs and deepen their understanding of ethical, sensitive, and survivor-centered reporting.

We must learn to tell stories without reducing survivors to their experiences or allowing their trauma to define who they are.

Because sometimes, the most important story is not just what happened to a survivor, but what we, as a community, can do to make sure it does not happen to someone else.

I also hope that through responsible journalism, we can encourage authorities to take a stronger stand and implement concrete measures to strengthen efforts against OSAEC.

More than informing the public, our stories should protect dignity, raise awareness, and inspire action.

IJM is a global organization that partners with local authorities to rescue victims of violence, bring perpetrators to justice, restore survivors, and strengthen justice systems.

In the Philippines, IJM’s work has contributed to a significant reduction of 72% to 86% in the prevalence of child sex trafficking in bars and brothels in areas where it worked alongside local authorities.

These reductions were recorded in earlier campaigns against commercial child sex trafficking in selected localities, distinct from the more recent nationwide estimates of online child sexual exploitation.

Since 2016, IJM Philippines has focused its efforts on combating OSAEC.

The organization recognizes the media as a critical partner in addressing OSAEC because media coverage plays a powerful role in shaping public understanding, influencing community attitudes, and encouraging action to protect vulnerable children.

Nini Cabaero, lawyer Maria Jane Paredes, and Michelle So from STET Women in Cebu, an organization of active and retired women journalists in Cebu City, also shared insights on OSAEC-related laws and balanced reporting of related cases.

On the last day of the training, a survivor-led campaign was launched at Parklane Hotel in Cebu City to strengthen efforts to protect children from online sexual abuse and exploitation.

The #HopeUProtect campaign, led by PSN, a survivor-led coalition initiated and supported by IJM Philippines, puts survivors’ voices at the forefront of child protection.

Through awareness-building, community engagement, and advocacy, the campaign aims to empower children, parents, and communities to recognize the risks of OSAEC and seek help.

Media practitioners, youth leaders, advocates, and other stakeholders pledged to protect children and promote safer communities.

While advocating stronger measures is important, we also recognize that this is a challenge, especially since it requires the involvement and cooperation of various government agencies to strengthen advocacy efforts.

As citizens, however, we can still do our part by raising awareness.

As journalists, we can use our voices and platforms to call on government agencies to take action and implement stronger measures against online sexual abuse and exploitation.

We know there is still a long way to go.

Change does not happen overnight; it is a long and continuous process.

What matters is that we have taken the first step.

This initiative could lead to something bigger and better, and hopefully, in the future, we will be talking more about success stories and the positive changes we have achieved.

This is a complex issue, and newsrooms may have different perspectives on how to approach and report on it.

It is difficult to imagine how to write a story about these issues when we are often focused on the numbers, the facts, and the experiences of survivors.

However, after this training, we have begun to realize that there is so much more to consider.

It is not simply about gathering information and telling a story.

It is also about understanding the possible consequences of our reporting and making sure that we do not cause further harm to the people we are trying to help.

This training was truly an eye-opener for journalists, especially now that stories are often published online, where sensationalized headlines and clickbait can easily attract attention.

We must remember that behind every story is a real person whose safety, privacy, and dignity deserve protection.

Let us be more mindful and responsible in our reporting.

We must look beyond simply producing a story and always consider the greater impact of our work.