Meet Azalea

A story of courage, struggle and relentless hope

Living Ireland and the UK, issues like trafficking and modern slavery can seem distant. But did you know that the UK is the third largest global consumer of livestreamed sexual abuse, a brutal and growing form of trafficking?

New research shows that in 2022, 1 in every 100 children in the Philippines was abused to create new child sexual exploitation materials. That’s half a million children. Whether we’re aware of it or not, children are being trafficked and exploited today, with lasting impact on children like Azalea*.

Azalea was only 14 when her neighbour began abusing her in the Philippines, sharing the abuse for sex offenders around the world to watch online. For six years, Azalea was subjected to some of the worst forms of livestreamed abuse that International Justice Mission (IJM) has come across.

Azalea recalls trying to hide her face every time she was forced in front of the computer: “I believe this is a crime worse than murder – I will live with the trauma for the rest of my life,” she recounts.

Azalea knows too well that this crime is driven by demand from countries like the UK, the US and Ireland. One American man even travelled to the Philippines to abuse Azalea in person. She recalled that her neighbour’s young children were in the same room when it happened. This crime is one of the darkest forms of trafficking in our modern world and it’s driven by sex offenders from our own neighbourhoods. But there is hope that we can stop it.

Thanks to the support and prayers of Christians in Ireland and Northern Ireland, IJM helped local police bring Azalea to safety. Azalea was brought to a shelter where she received vital aftercare and legal support from our team.

Yet, this wasn’t the end of Azalea’s fight for freedom. She faced intimidating threats from her neighbour’s friends, who also tried to pay her to retract her statement. “The witness tampering in this case caused Azalea serious anxiety, fear for her life and her family’s safety,” recalls Kathleen, a lawyer on Azalea’s case.

IJM helped relocate Azalea and her family to a different house. Despite the threats to her safety, Azalea courageously decided to testify in court against her neighbour. We’re praying for an end to the court case soon and thanking God that the American man who abused her has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Today, while she waits for justice, Azalea is giving hope to more children trapped in abuse. She’s boldly speaking out against online sexual exploitation of children in the Philippines and around the world, advocating for an end to this crime.

Azalea says, “I find hope in God, my family, and IJM who have been with me from the beginning.”

Hope is powerful. We’ve seen what happens when people like you stand with survivors and dare to imagine a different world, a world where children are safe and free from trafficking and abuse.

Together, we’ve helped police bring more than 1,000 children to safety from online sexual exploitation in the Philippines.Azalea is praying for an end to online sexual exploitation. You can help give hope to children who are still trapped in abuse right now, suffering the same trauma that Azalea once experienced.

With your prayers and support, IJM can help bring more children to safety, support survivors to heal, hold traffickers to account and protect children from ever experiencing this abuse in the first place.

Kathleen (the lawyer) says, “We are grateful and privileged that we have been called to participate in the work of justice and in the global fight against a crime that is spreading so fast and destroying families and children’s futures.”

Through prayer and generosity, your actions can have a life-changing impact on children today. Plus, if you give now, all gifts from new donors will be matched by 50%, at no additional cost to you. For example, £20 will become £30, £40 will become £60, and £70 will become £105! Visit IJM’s website to find out more.

Thank you for standing with Azalea as she fights for a world where all are free.

*Name changed to protect the innocent