The unidentified faces of kids subjected to unimaginable horrors that keep a top cop up at night
A top cop has given an unprecedented insight into the horrific crimes they uncover against our children, and it’s something every parent needs to read.
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Sometimes in the dead of night, the faces of countless unidentified children flood Detective Chief Inspector Adam Powderly’s mind.
They are the victims of unspeakable horrors that his team of investigators in the Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) of New South Wales Police have unsuccessfully tried to find.
While some sexual abuse victims depicted in sickening images and videos intercepted by police are traced and rescued, Mr Powderly, who manages the CEIU, conceded that many remain unknown forever.
“There was one particular case in northern New South Wales where we received some information from one of our interstate counterparts that indicated two young children were being sexually abused and exploited by a close family friend,” he told news.com.au.
“We acted on that information very, very quickly. We were able to track that predator down. We travelled to that [area] where we found and rescued the children and were able to put them in a position of safety.
“The offender was arrested, charged and prosecuted, and he’s currently in jail.”
The elite CEIU has many of those success stories – far too many to count, with “at least a few” arrests resulting from its work every single week.
“That one was something that stays with me because the way that my team pulled together was so impressive, and to do that within a 24-hour period was remarkable,” Mr Powderly said.
“But on the other hand, there’s a number of matters that we investigate where we find it very, very difficult to identify those particular children in those videos or those images.
“Those matters sit with me. And at times, it’s really, really difficult. When we can’t work out who those kids are, that keeps me awake at night. It’s very difficult.”
To coincide with Child Protection Week, news.com.au spent time with the NSW Police Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU), which works around the clock to find victims and bring predators to justice.
Mr Powderly has been in this particular role for two years, but with the Sex Crimes Squad for the past five years, and is still shocked by how common this unspeakable crime is.
“It is prevalent. This role has really opened my eyes up to how prevalent it is.
“The international and national investigations that my team are running, the amount of offending that occurs and the number of offenders that we identify and we prosecute, is unbelievable.
“The number of children that are exploited, that are at risk, and how easy it is to access and make contact with children via the internet and particular social media platforms, is very, very high.”
What makes this crime unique – and challenging to investigate – is the fact that the internet has no boundaries.
Offenders can be anywhere in the world, as can their child victims, which requires an incredible level of collaboration with global law enforcement organisations, he said.
“We’ve got a total of 24 detectives that work for me here. Obviously, we cover 365 days a year, 24-7. But the internet is [global], so we’ve got some really strong relationships with agencies … [like] the FBI, Europol, Interpol and US Homeland Security.
“And within Australia, our interstate counterparts and the AFP. We work collaboratively with everyone to try to succeed in what we’re trying to achieve.
In March, the CEIU received a tip off from police in New Jersey in the United States that led to the arrest of a 39-year-old man on the state’s Mid North Coast.
He allegedly used a social media platform to groom a 13-year-old girl from America and charged with 12 offences as a result.
Among them were four counts of using a carriage service to transmit, publish or promote child abuse material, as well as several offences relating to the possession and procurement of child abuse material.
Detective Acting Superintendent Kirsty Hales, the Commander of the State Crimes Command’s Sex Crimes Squad, said the case was an example of the global collaboration that occurs.
“If you do the wrong thing to a child – whether here or overseas – we can still find you and you are still answerable to an Australian court,” Ms Hales told the media at the time.
The disturbing nature of child sexual abuse makes it a topic most people are uncomfortable discussing, but Mr Powderly said that leads to a dangerous lack of vigilance.
“I think there’s probably a lack of understanding within the community of the dangers towards our children from online offenders,” he said.
“From my position, we implore people in the community, especially parents, to be able to have those open and frank conversations with their children about the dangers of online offending. It’s a bit of a taboo subject, and it’s probably not discussed enough.
“There’s other crime types that we discuss openly now within NSW around domestic violence and violence against women, but online offending, the exploitation of children and sharing of child abuse material is probably something that isn’t spoken about enough.”
His team of 24 detectives conduct a number of operations, from finding predators where they lurk online to finding young people depicted in abuse material and protecting them.
That work requires officers to view a staggering amount of disturbing and haunting material, which can take a toll, he said.
“There are always cases that never sit easy with you in this space. Some of the stuff that my people are exposed to is horrific, it’s horrendous, and it sometimes never gets out of your head.
“The team that I have with me are dedicated. They face and they look at and they review the most horrific images and videos that anyone could ever imagine.
“But they’re committed, they’re dedicated and I wouldn’t have anyone else work for me.”
A number of policies help to promote the mental health and wellbeing of investigators, from regular check-ins with psychologists to team-building and morale-boosting activities.
“Locally, we’ve introduced breakout areas within our own office space, video games, the gym, They can go for a walk. We have therapy dogs that come into the area as well.
“The most important part for me as a manager is the welfare of my staff. It’s a nice and relaxed office. We have breaks from reviewing the material, so we’re not sitting there having a look at child abuse material for hours and hours on end.
“You’ve got to have a break. We try and break up the end of the day with a video game or something fun. So you’re going home and not having that sort of stuck in the back of your head.”
Mr Powderly implored parents to take seriously the dangers contained within their children’s smartphones or on their computers, which most have access to around the clock.
“People are very naturally protective of our children. I see it, and as a parent myself of young children, I know it, that if you’re in a public space and your child needs to go to the toilet, we take them.
“We follow them in and the reason we follow them in is because we’re scared of the dangers of any strangers that might be in there.
“Yet, I don’t see the same safety measures by every parent or caregiver in terms of being intrusive and supervising their child on online platforms. They’re using their phone late at night in their bedroom. Their phones are with them 24-7 now and they’ve got access to them.
“One of my biggest fears is the lack of understanding in the community and especially with parents and caregivers of children around the dangers of online offending.
“It’s really, really important that parents are aware that this offending is occurring. It’s prevalent. It does happen and you need to be able to have those open, honest and frank real-time and real-life conversations with your children around online safety.”
Anyone with information about criminal activity can make an anonymous report with Crime Stoppers by calling 1800 333 000 or visiting crimestoppers.com.au
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