‘Niña Inocente’: A heartbreaking story of childhood betrayed

"Galit na galit po talaga ako no'ng nalaman ko na binaboy 'yong anak ko."

There are parents who do everything they can to protect their children. The heartbreaking truth, however, is that we can't protect them from everything.

Before shame and guilt could consume her, Jana (not her real name) felt rage against the people who preyed on her daughter's innocence and exposed her to irreversible harm.

"Nalaman ko na lang po 'yong kuwento sa mga tao na ganyan na kasali 'yong anak ko. Galit na galit po talaga ako kasi no'ng nalaman ko na binaboy 'yong anak ko. Minsan nasisisi ko 'yong sarili ko kasi kung nandiyan ako, hindi siguro mangyari sa anak ko 'yon," Jana said.

In a special report by "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho" on child pornography, we learn the story of Jana's daughter.

Done in the style of a children's book, a jarring imagery is created. This isn't supposed to happen to young kids.

KMJS commissioned Palanca-winning writer Augie Rivera to tell the story of Jana's daughter, under the name Niña Inocente.

Rivera is the Palanca Award-winning author of eighteen children’s books including "XILEF", "Magnificent Benito and His Two Front Teeth", the "Batang Historyador" series, "Ang Lihim ni Lea", "Isang Harding Papel", and the well-loved "Alamat ng Ampalaya," which is now in its 23rd year of publication.

The illustrations were done by Juno Abreu, who previously did work on "Si Bob da Blob" and "Coming of Age."

"While I was reading through the voluminous research materials sent to me by the program, I came across this interview of an eighteen-year-old recounting the harrowing experiences she went through when she fell victim to cyberporn at the tender age of eight," Rivera told GMA News Online in an interview via email.

"She said: 'Hindi ko po alam na mali pala ginagawa ko… na nabibiktima na pala ako. Ang alam ko lang, kumikita ako ng pera, nakakatulong ako sa amin.'"

The gutting statement led Rivera to envision a world where the loss of innocence is treated as a cruel game by predators.

"Many kids love playing RPG or role-playing games on the computer, so I made use of that. The ironic thing is it was also the device used by the computer shop owner, who was like a Pied Piper luring his unsuspecting victims into the vicious web of cyberporn. The recurring image of the Sto. Nino in the story was utilized not for religious but for symbolic purposes—a ‘silent witness’ to the ongoing abuses and exploitation of ‘niños inocentes’ or innocent children."

Empowerment

John Tanago, a field officer for the International Justice Mission, told KMJS that victims of online sexual exploitation are largely the very young.

"In fact, 55 percent of the victims are just 12 years old or younger and the youngest has been 2 months old. Eighty-five percent of the victims are minors, so it's a staggering problem for a law enforcement to tackle especially because of the young age of the victims," he said.

These young victims are often members of impoverished communities and tricked into believing that they are helping their families. They don't understand the consequences of their actions yet.

Rivera does not believe that a single story can end child pornography, but he believes it can "empower and give hope to children who are going through similar situations first-hand."

"Nagbibigay ng lakas ng loob kapag nakita ng mga batang biktima na hindi sila nag-iisa, at may iba ring mga batang may parehong pinagdadaanan; kung kinaya ng bidang ma-overcome, kaya rin nila," he said.

It also teaches empathy to children who are fortunate enough to be protected from such monstrous exploitation.

"Kapag ine-expose natin ang mga bata sa iba’t ibang karanasan, na kakaiba sa kanilang mga sariling karanasan, pinalalawak natin ang kanilang pagtanggap at pag-unawa; sa vicarious experience, natuturuan silang mag-isip, maging kritikal, magtanong tungkol sa mga complex issues; at ine-empower din natin sila para alam nila ang mga dapat gawin kung sakaling malagay sila sa parehong sitwasyon," he said.

In this KMJS episode, we hear the story from Niña herself. She has found her voice again and she is speaking for children with similar experiences.

This might not have a happy ending, but it does have a hopeful one, Rivera said.

"Paglipas ng panahon, puwedeng malampasan o ma-overcome ni Nina ang trauma ng mapait niyang karanasan ng pang-aabuso."

Addressing other kids, Niña said, "Huwag po silang masilaw sa pera."

"Huwag po sila basta-basta magtiwala sa mga tao. Piliin po nila 'yong mga taong mapagkakatiwalaan nila kasi minsan po kahit sa family po nangyayari din po 'yon, sa magulang. So kung alam po nila na mali na po 'yong ipinapagawa sa kanila, magsumbong po sila."

Niña is not silenced by her past. Instead, she looks to the future and shares it with other victims. By telling her story, Niña is helping other kids identify behavior that should be reported to a trusted authority figure. — BM, GMA News