Child sexual exploitation and abuse in South East Asia
A Talk by Kristina Amerhauser , Virginia Comolli , Pol.Lt.Col Peabprom Mekhiyanont , Malina Enlund and Dr. Prem Mahadevan
About this Talk
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the growth of a number of criminal markets, particularly those with online components. Among those, child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) experienced a multi-fold increase during lockdowns reinforcing the urgency with which this heinous crime needs to be disrupted. This panel will discuss current key trends of CSEA and the role of organized criminal groups in Southeast Asia with a particular focus on Thailand and Vietnam. It will also look at the role of social media as well as prevention and protection efforts in place across the region to curb the phenomenon.
About The Speakers
Kristina Amerhauser
Programme Manager at the GI-TOC conducting research on organized crime and corruption in the Western Balkans.
Virginia Comolli
Virginia Comolli is a Senior Expert within GI-TOC’s Asia-Pacific Observatory where she is currently developing a new portfolio on chid sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) in South East Asia. She is also the research manager for the programme ‘Anticipating and disrupting environmental crime in the globalized economy’.
Pol.Lt.Col Peabprom Mekhiyanont
Deputy Superintendent Thailand Internet Crime against Children, The Royal Thai Police
Malina Enlund
Malina is the Safety Policy Manager for Meta in APAC overseeing the development and implementation of safety policies, tools and programs across the platform in the region. Prior to joining Meta, Malina spent 14 years working in the field of anti-trafficking and child exploitation in Southeast Asia.