Last night's 7 News Spotlight special pulled back the curtain on the devastating reality of child exploitation worldwide and the confronting truth that Australians are among the largest groups of offenders fueling this abuse.
The program featured Destiny Rescue, a global nonprofit founded on the Sunshine Coast, that has been rescuing children from sexual exploitation and trafficking since 2001. With operations across Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America, Destiny Rescue has rescued more than 20,000 individuals worldwide, including 1,876 children in 2024 alone.
Despite these lifesaving efforts, the organisation warns that thousands more children are still waiting for rescue.
"Every rescue is a victory, but it's never enough while children are still being exploited," said Geoff Harrison, Chief Operations Officer of Destiny Rescue Australia. "Cases like Toni Brimble's highlight a deep failure; Australian offenders are not facing punishments that reflect the devastating impact of their crimes."
The Australian Connection
In 2023–24, the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation recorded 58,000+ reports of online child abuse, which is a 45% increase year-on-year.
An estimated 300 million children worldwide were impacted by online sexual exploitation in the past 12 months.
Sex trafficking generates approximately $99 billion annually for traffickers
Children Abused for Online Viewing
The fastest-growing form of exploitation is online sexual abuse of children, where offenders, many of them Australian, pay to view children being abused in real time or consume child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Children, some as young as four, are coerced by family members or traffickers into performing for cameras.
Fighting Online Exploitation: The Scientia Program
To combat this escalating threat, Destiny Rescue is a founding partner in the Scientia Program, a specialised counter-OSEC (Online Sexual Exploitation of Children) initiative in Thailand working alongside four other NGOs and law enforcement agencies. Together, the coalition combines cutting-edge technology with on-the-ground expertise to identify victims, dismantle criminal networks, and support survivors.
In 2024, the Scientia Program:
Conducted 25 joint operations
Facilitated the rescue of 91 individuals
Resulted in 26 arrests
Identified more than 122,000 files and 668GB of child abuse material
In early 2025, the launch of a fusion centre in Bangkok enabled the positive identification of 110 children based on digital evidence, dramatically accelerating rescue efforts.
"The Spotlight program confirmed what we see every day, Australians are fueling demand for child abuse material overseas," said Matt Valentine, Global Counter-OSEC Director for Destiny Rescue International. "We must step up. This is a national shame that demands stronger accountability, resourcing, and action."
Key Impact Figures from 2024
4,177 total rescues: 1,876 children, 1,511 young adults, 790 adults
723 children rescued across 338 law enforcement operations
116 children rescued from online sexual exploitation in just four countries
288 traffickers and abusers arrested
85% of survivors remained free from exploitation two years post-rescue
How Australians Can Help
Australians can help fund raids, rescues, and survivor aftercare by donating at www.destinyrescue.org.au.
