The AFP has launched a bold initiative to tackle online sexual abuse or exploitation of children (OSAEC) in the Philippines with a Tagalog-language picture book that delivers cyber safety messaging direct to schoolkids.
Mga Batang Cyber Smart ay Cyber Safe / Cyber Smart Kids are Cyber Safe is a 36-page print and digital publication for ages five through eight that will be distributed to more than 57,000 primary schools across the Philippines.
Its creation was shepherded by Detective Sergeant Daisie Beckensall, a former Child Protection Officer with the AFP's Manila Post, who identified a critical education gap contributing to OSAEC.
"Online child sexual exploitation is a significant and growing issue in the Philippines, and is fuelled by a whole range of factors," Det. Sgt Beckensall said.
"One of these is a lack of education and awareness about cyber safety issues and the risks and red flags for offences such as online grooming.
"These are issues that are critical for families, parents and carers to understand and embrace, as part of a whole-of-community approach.
"But tackling this problem can't just be about reaching adults. We also need to empower children to help keep themselves safe online.
"That's where Mga Batang Cyber Smart ay Cyber Safe / Cyber Smart Kids are Cyber Safe comes in."
The book is a Tagalog adaptation of Jack Changes the Game, an English-language child safety book the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) published in 2022.
The Filipino adaptation focuses on a young boy called Junjun, who makes an online friend named Basketballboy via his favourite game. When Basketballboy asks Junjun for naked photos in return for gaming tokens, Junjun begins to wonder if his friend has been honest about his identity, if he should tell someone and what will happen if he does.
The key message is: 'Online friends are different from the friends you see each day. You can't be certain who they are, so be careful what you share and say'.
The Australian Embassy in Manila supported development of the book, engaging Filipino creatives for everything from translation to illustration.
Project funding came from the ACCCE, which works closely with Filipino law enforcement to counter and combat OSAEC and bring offenders to justice.
"The ACCCE receives a high volume of referrals about online child sexual exploitation out of the Philippines," said AFP Commander Human Exploitation Helen Schneider.
With Australians noted as major offenders, contributing factors include similar time zones and the widespread use of English in the Philippines.
However, extra circumstances strengthened the case for the Philippines to become the first recipient of a Jack Changes the Game translation.
"We know from our referrals, which we receive from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, that exploitation of children in the Philippines is sometimes facilitated by someone known to the victim," Commander Schneider said.
"What that highlighted to us was the need for an avenue to talk directly to young children to help educate and empower them to keep themselves safe online.
"This messaging includes simple prompts such as thinking about who they can go to for help.
"It also complements conversations the book can spark across the wider community, especially in school communities."
Detective Sergeant Leesa Alexander, the AFP's Liaison Officer Manila, will oversee the book's rollout.
She worked with Philippine law enforcement and NGO partners to identify the areas of metropolitan Manila most at risk of online sexual abuse or exploitation of children. They will be targeted first, with wider distribution around the nation to follow.
"The AFP in Manila supports Philippine Government efforts to counter the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children," Det. Sgt Alexander said.
"This support extends not just to law enforcement operations, but also to capacity building, welfare, and community education initiatives such as Cyber Smart Kids are Cyber Safe.
"It's a multi-faceted approach which acknowledges that tackling OSAEC needs a collaborative effort between law enforcement, social services, community education and other like-minded sectors."
Early response to the book has been positive.
"Students love the book for its engaging story and beautiful illustrations, while families and educators welcome it as a resource that taps into the kids' love of reading to teach them information critical in helping to keep them safe," Det. Sgt Alexander said.
The book took roughly a year from concept to fruition, with support from the Philippines Department of Education and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Police Brigadier General Sheila Portento, the PNP's Chief of the Women and Children's Protection Centre, noted the importance of extending the two countries' law enforcement partnership beyond the reactive.
"It is very important for us to educate our children on online safety from a very early age," Police Brigadier General Portento said.
"This book gives them the confidence to navigate the internet knowing the dangers, while for parents, it allows us to be at peace knowing our kids have been educated on how to use the internet safely."
Commander Schneider welcomed the collaborative support.
"The online sexual abuse and exploitation of children operates in the absence of awareness and in the shadows of human behaviours, so education is about shining a spotlight on this important topic to help protect our vulnerable children," she said.
For Detective Sergeant Beckensell, now working back in Australia, it's about legacy.
"Working with the AFP offshore in countries such as the Philippines you're able to create a tangible and permanent legacy, even after you're gone," she said.
"I'm really proud we've been able to create this Tagalog version of Jack Changes the Game, which will be a long-lasting education tool that not only Filipino children can use, but also Tagalog-speaking families and young people all around the world."
Mga Batang Cyber Smart ay Cyber Safe / Cyber Smart Kids are Cyber Safe is available in ebook format at accce.gov.au/resources/parents-carers/cyber-smart-kids-are-cyber-safe.
A Tagalog-language reading is on the AFP's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S2QiiB1qKY
Jack Changes the Game, authored by Tess Rowley with illustrations by Shannon Horsfall, is online at accce.gov.au/resources/parents-carers/jack-changes-game
