Survivor leader Trixie launched the Hope U Protect campaign on Oct. 21, 2026, partnering with IJM to empower survivors against child online sexual abuse.
The campaign targets reaching 100,000 children and 1,000 adults across Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Quezon City, Taguig City, and Cagayan de Oro City.
HUP utilizes puppetry, educational videos, and community sessions while partnering with local governments and law enforcement to strengthen abuse reporting systems and policies.
A CHILD survivor once silenced by fear is now using her voice to keep other children from suffering the same abuse.
During a Wednesday, Oct. 21, orientation on the Hope U Protect (HUP) campaign, Trixie, a survivor leader, recalled how she was abused at a young age by someone she trusted. Threats kept her from speaking about what happened.
“I felt afraid, confused, and unsafe. I carried a fear that was too heavy for a child to carry, and I stayed silent because I was threatened and made to believe that I should not tell anyone,” Trixie said.
Trixie is now part of the Philippine Survivor Network, a network of survivors of different forms of violence advocating for safer communities and stronger justice and protection systems.
The network is leading HUP, a survivor-led campaign against Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (Osaec), co-created with the International Justice Mission (IJM). The campaign puts survivors at the center of efforts to educate children and adults and push for stronger government responses.
Years later, Trixie is no longer speaking only about what happened to her. She is calling on parents, schools, communities and local governments to recognize children who may still be suffering in silence and act before another child experiences abuse.
“Every moment of inaction gives abuse the chance to continue, but every action we take can bring a child closer to safety and hope,” Trixie said.
Turning awareness into protection
HUP aims to reach 100,000 children with lessons on online safety and protection and engage at least 1,000 parents and adults in child protection advocacy.
The campaign also seeks to strengthen government responses to Osaec and support the implementation and monitoring of local measures against Osaec and child sexual abuse or exploitation materials in priority areas, including Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City.
Other priority areas outside Cebu are Quezon City, Taguig City and Cagayan de Oro City.
The campaign comes amid concerns that cases of child exploitation can remain hidden because children and families may not know where to seek help, may fear retaliation or stigma, or may distrust reporting mechanisms.
HUP seeks to address these barriers by bringing child protection discussions closer to schools, families and communities.
For children in Grades 1 to 3, the campaign plans to use puppetry sessions to introduce age-appropriate lessons on safety. Educational videos will be used for Grades 4 to 6, alongside discussions on personal safety, including appropriate and inappropriate touching.
Parents and other adults will also be brought into the conversation.
Through community sessions, participants will be introduced to Osaec, online safety, reporting and referral mechanisms, and practices families and communities can adopt to better protect children.
The campaign will also work with local governments to strengthen policies and systems intended to prevent abuse and respond when it happens.
‘Shared responsibility’
Trixie stressed that protecting children is a shared responsibility and cannot be left solely to police officers, National Bureau of Investigation agents or social workers.
Parents, she said, should guide children, while schools must equip them with knowledge that can help them recognize danger and seek assistance. Communities must be willing to report suspected abuse, while governments and law enforcement agencies must ensure that protection systems work and offenders are held accountable.
The responsibility becomes more urgent when children themselves are too frightened to ask for help.
“Every child matters. Every child deserves protection. And every child deserves a future free from abuse and exploitation,” she said.
From survivor to advocate
Trixie said she chose to join the campaign for children who may still be afraid to speak and for families that do not yet know how to respond when a child is at risk. Her experience remains painful, but it has also become the reason she refuses to stay silent.
“My story is proof that even after experiencing darkness, hope can grow, and our voices can create change,” Trixie said.
“We cannot change the lives of children by simply feeling sorry for them. We must turn our concern into action, our awareness into protection,” she added.
She urged communities not to wait for another case before taking child protection seriously.
Her message places the responsibility not only on survivors who have found the courage to speak, but also on the adults and institutions that can keep another child from suffering the same abuse.
“The question is not whether we can make a difference,” Trixie said. “The question is: Will we take action before another child suffers?” / DPC