Philippine authorities rescued 13 children from online sexual exploitation and have arrested a man from Australia behind this human trafficking operation. 

The man was sentenced to 15 years in jail last week, for ordering and directing the live-streamed sexual abuse of Filipino children.

According to International Justice Mission's (IJM) Instagram page, this case, along with that of another Australian man sentenced in June, is connected to IJM-assisted operations in which Philippine authorities rescued 13 children and 2 young women, and arrested 5 suspected traffickers.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by International Justice Mission (@ijm)

IJM is a global organization that protects people in poverty from violence. On their website, it says they partner with local authorities in 24 program offices in 14 countries to combat trafficking and slavery, violence against women and children, and police abuse of power.

"This is happening in our backyard," says Steve Baird, CEO of IJM Australia. "We applaud the unwavering efforts of Australian police in partnering with Philippine and other law enforcement, and IJM, to shut down this crime, but as a nation, we must do more."

On at least 55 occasions, the arrested man paid less than $40 for the children to perform sex acts in front of a webcam for his gratification.

IJM aims to strengthen justice systems in developing countries and continue partnering with them to put perpetrators behind bars, even if they live on different continents as in this case.