This week, Dan and I followed ECPAT to the Island of Boracay in order to conduct a police training seminar. The seminar was held in order to train and inform the Boracay Tourism Police of the issues regarding child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation. The lectures covered relevant legislation as well as proper techniques in crime scene management/report filing/etc. The ECPAT director was ill and couldn’t come, so Dan and I were asked to role-play during the practical examination. Dan had an Oscar-winning performance of a child pedophile. I had a minimal role as Dan’s wife who refuses to open the door. You should have seen Dan’s face when they asked him to pretend to be a sex offender! I wanted to see dan getting cuffed... but was dissapointed. Photo: practicum on the procedures of a warrantless search

We are also working on a draft local legislation regarding child abuse, CSEC, rape, and child pornography to present to the local governments as a guideline when (and if) the local government chooses to enact child-protection laws.

In my work, I keep coming across the same theme: lack of implementation and enforcement. CSEC is considered the ‘worst form of child labour’, but there is a great lack of awareness not only within the community, but within the police force, government officials, and prosecutors as well!

We gave out a test to police officers and social workers the first day, and the average score was 50/88. About 1/4th of the officers scored under 40. I point this out for two reasons:

1. To demonstrate the lack of awareness of CSEC laws within the Philippines
2. To express my sorrow over losing 50 Pesos because I bet Dan would score lower than the average score.

Photo: me forkin' over the 50 pesos (1$) for under-estamating Dan