At the talk, Amanda was shocked to learn that the prevalence rate of internet-based child sexual exploitation in the Philippines had increased by more than three times from 2014 to 2017, and that the country was the global epicentre of such cases. The phenomenon—known as OSEC in short—refers to the production, possession and distribution of child sexual abuse materials and the livestreaming of sexual abuse or exploitation.

“I love children, which is why I feel so compelled to work to put an end to OSEC. When I think of all the children, so young, innocent and helpless, it makes me so sick. I have a platform and I need to use it to help them,” shared Amanda, whose children are now aged four to 12 years.

In 2021 she was appointed as IJM’s first ambassador. Getting people to talk about the issue was just the beginning of Amanda’s challenges. She has been shut down several times when she broaches the subject at social functions.

It is such a grisly, dark and depraved crime against children that it makes people physically and mentally turn away and not want to listen. I can’t blame people, it’s not something any of us wants to think about, particularly those who are parents, as your mind automatically thinks about your own kids.

“But I always tell people that ignorance cannot be accepted. It will only cause the problem to proliferate. That’s why it’s so important to get people aware of the problem first so that the conversation can move on to what we, as a collective, can do about it. It is a very global issue. The Philippines is the biggest source country, but there are other countries such as Mexico, Brazil, and India that have similar problems. And then there are the countries with predators perpetuating the demand for abuse content, like Australia, the US, and Sweden, to name a few of the top ones.”

Since learning about the issue, Amanda, who is married to David Jacob, CEO of insurance brokering and risk management firm Marsh Asia, has spearheaded two social media campaigns involving Filipino influencers and artists to raise awareness of OSEC.

In 2019, she brought her eldest child, who was then nine years old, along on a visit to a shelter for OSEC victims. She will be bringing her second son to another shelter this December where they will organise a Christmas party for the children. Her long-term goal is to build and run shelters for OSEC victims in the Philippines.

She shared: “We are in such desperate need of more shelters and funding for rescue operations. Foster care is not popular in the Philippines and with such a huge pool of abused, highly sexualised children, the situation is such that they often end up staying in the shelters. I’m also interested in the after-care process because rehabilitation and healing are needed to effect a change otherwise the children will go back and perpetuate the vicious cycle.”

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