📄 Abstract
Cyber-facilitated sexual exploitation is an evolving form of technology-enabled crime that creates significant risks for children, adolescents, and other vulnerable populations. This systematic literature review examined the forms and patterns of cyber-facilitated sexual exploitation, associated risk factors, victim vulnerabilities, offender strategies, prevention and intervention measures, and crime prevention implications for the Philippines. Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 framework, the study systematically searched ScienceDirect and Google Scholar for relevant literature published from 2020 to 2026. Of 172 records identified, 8 duplicates were removed, 164 records were screened, and 44 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis. Findings identified online grooming, online child sexual exploitation and abuse, sextortion, image-based sexual abuse, live-streamed sexual exploitation, and dissemination of child sexual abuse materials as interconnected forms of exploitation. Major vulnerabilities included poverty, family instability, previous victimization, psychological vulnerability, limited digital literacy, and inadequate supervision, while offenders commonly employed deception, manipulation, anonymity, encrypted communication, and financial coercion. Effective prevention requires integrated school-based education, family engagement, digital literacy, strengthened law enforcement and digital forensic capacity, policy measures, and multi-sector collaboration. The findings support a whole-of-society approach and inform the proposed Integrated Community Cyber Protection Framework for Philippine communities.
📚 How to Cite:
Roy Villalobos, DPA, RCrim, Jose Melarte G. Gooco Jr., PhD, RCrim, Mildred E. Vila, PhD, PDSML, PDTQM, Chief Engr. Ferdinand C. Villamil, PhDDAEG , CYBER-FACILITATED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW OF RISK FACTORS, VICTIM VULNERABILITIES, OFFENDER STRATEGIES, AND CRIME PREVENTION IMPLICATIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES , Volume 12 , Issue 8, August 2026, EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) , Pages: 317 - 327 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.36713/epra28866