Perhaps the most alarming trend in 2021 was the explosion of Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (OCSEA).
: The Philippine Department of Justice documented a staggering 264% rise in online sexual abuse and exploitation materials between March and May 2020, a trend that persisted through 2021.
: In Southeast Asia, children from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia were frequently subjected to commercial sexual exploitation in Thai massage parlors, bars, and karaoke lounges. exploited teens asia 2021
: Reports indicated a rise in the sharing of pornographic images of young girls, with nearly 26% of internet users in the country—mostly children—experiencing online harassment. Moving Forward: The Path to Protection
: A major operation involving police forces from Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand led to the arrest of 435 individuals for suspected involvement in online exploitation. Regional Snapshots of 2021 Perhaps the most alarming trend in 2021 was
While child labor had been on a long-term decline, 2021 saw a regression in several key Asian sectors.
: In Myanmar, over 5,000 Rohingya individuals were trafficked or smuggled into Bangladesh in 2021, while internal conflicts led to the recruitment of children by armed groups for both combat and non-combat roles. The Digital Frontier: Online Sexual Exploitation : Reports indicated a rise in the sharing
: Remained a major hub for both domestic and cross-border trafficking. While child labor in the seafood industry saw some decline, predators increasingly used digital tools to target individual victims.
: Teenagers were increasingly identified working long hours in hazardous conditions in agriculture, construction, and manufacturing, often for minimal or no pay.