We recently traveled to Manila, Philippines to participate in a Co-Design Workshop with the University of Nottingham Rights Lab and International Justice Mission (IJM) where we worked closely together to finalize our plans for a new collaborative research project. The upcoming national study will examine the extent of people’s reliance upon public justice systems for addressing online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) in the Philippines. In 2022, the Rights Lab and IJM found that 1 in 100 Filipino children were trafficked to produce new child sexual exploitation material that year. Our new research study is a critical step toward improving the systems to better prevent OSEC and ensure the safety of children.
Eleison will lead the qualitative data collection for this project. We will conduct interviews with service providers, justice system professionals, and community stakeholders in positions to notice and report this form of abuse. We will conduct focus group discussions (FGDs) with OSEC survivors to understand survivors’ experiences reporting to public justice systems and their recommendations on how to mitigate barriers to reporting OSEC. Additionally, Eleison will lead a Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) comprised of survivors who will advise all steps of the research process.
Eleison looks forward to collaborating with the Rights Lab on this project. The Rights Lab, which is a part of the University of Nottingham, is one of the world’s leading university-based research centers focused on ending modern slavery. We are grateful to partner with two Rights Lab faculty members, Dr. Katarina Schwartz and Dr. Ben Brewster, on this project. Dr. Schwartz, who is head of the Rights Lab’s Law and Policy Program, uses law and policy frameworks to examine the effectiveness of anti-slavery governance. Dr. Brewster’s research focuses the use of online technology in human trafficking, including how online platforms can inform prevention and discovery.
Eleison is committed to fostering a safe environment where all children are protected from exploitation. Through innovative research and multi-sectoral collaboration, we can take meaningful steps toward ending OSEC and building a safer world for all children.
