.

.

Sources.

1. UNICEF. (2021). Investigating Risks and Opportunities for Children in a Digital World: A rapid review of the evidence on children’s internet use and outcomes. (p. 12) https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/media/5621/file/UNICEF-Investigating-Risks-Opportunities-Children-Digital-World-2021.pd

2.  Awan, O. (2024, December 8). Why schools and parents should be concerned amid increasing social media use in teens. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/omerawan/2024/12/08/why-schools-and-parents-should-be-concerned-amid-increasing-social-media-use-in-teens/

3. Thorn. (2025). Issue. https://www.thorn.org/issue/

4. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). (2025). Child Sexual Abuse Content.
https://www.missingkids.org/theissues/csam

.

.

    
My name is Liam. I am a survivor of online child sexual exploitation, and this is my story. 

Video gaming has always been one of my favorite hobbies. After school, on weekends, and anytime I had a free moment, I’d be online. It was normal for me to jump into games and connect with strangers from all over the world. I’ll never forget the day I met Charlotte, “Charlie” for short.

We quickly hit it off. Day after day, we’d spend hours playing together. Over time, we started sharing more personal details and began talking outside of the game. She was older than me, but I actually found her easier to talk to than girls my own age.

One day, out of nowhere, she sent me sensual photos of herself. There was no denying she was beautiful. Then she asked me to send something in return. I felt uneasy, it was something I had never done before. But I went through with it. The moment I hit send, I felt a deep sinking feeling in my stomach. I knew I had done something I would regret.

From that point on, everything changed. She kept pressuring me for more photos and videos. When I said I didn’t want to, her tone shifted. She became aggressive, nothing like the person I thought I knew. I tried to ignore her constant messages, but then she did something I couldn’t ignore. She began messaging my friends, sharing what I had sent her. She threatened that if I didn’t give her more, “things would only get worse.”

I was only 13 at the time. Reeling from the embarrassment and confusion of it all, I didn’t know what to do, whom to trust, or how to ask for help. 

Just a few days later, an organization came to my school to talk about the growing risks of online exploitation for teens. They played a Can You See Me?  video from A21 about a boy who had been exploited through a gaming platform. Watching it felt like looking into a mirror. It was as if they were telling my story.

In that moment, something in me shifted. I knew I had to speak up. I gathered every bit of courage I had and told a trusted adult everything. I thought that sharing my story would make me feel worse, but instead, I was met with kindness and compassion. For the first time, I didn’t feel alone.

My name is Vanna, and this is my story of surviving online child sexual exploitation.

In my small village in Southeast Asia, I never imagined the internet could be a gateway to danger. But when I was just 14 years old, I became the target of a predator hiding behind a screen. What started as innocent messages quickly turned into a nightmare that turned my life upside down.

The man pretended to be my boyfriend using lies and manipulation to trap me in a cycle of fear and abuse that extended from the virtual world into real life. Initially, I thought our relationship was genuine, and I trusted him. But he exploited me both online and offline, and it was a terrifying experience.

Despite the threats from this man, I confided in my parents. It was scary and my heart was racing, but their love and protection (which I doubted in my darkest moments) were evident. They didn’t hesitate and reported the crime immediately.

The police listened. They understood the sensitive nature of my care. And they brought me to a place I never knew existed: the A21 Child Advocacy Center. There, in a safe and supportive environment, I told my story. The trained professionals listened, asked the right questions, and gathered the evidence needed to bring my abuser to justice. Every word I spoke chipped away at the power he held over me.

My voice became evidence, and my testimony was used to serve justice. The man who had haunted my life was arrested and charged under laws to protect minors like me.

A21 wrapped me in a blanket of support. Through their Aftercare program, I began to heal. I learned that what happened to me wasn't my fault. I discovered a strength I never knew I had.

When the court delivered its verdict, I was relieved. The perpetrator was found guilty and sentenced to six years in prison. It doesn’t sound long, but its traffickers are rarely caught and convicted. Additionally, the court made him pay a fine, acknowledging the significant impact of his action. I felt like my voice had been heard. My suffering recognized. My courage rewarded.