National appeal launched to rescue Australian children from online sex abuse

A world-leading ‘shock and awe’ operation is underway to help rescue unknown Australian children from being abused online.

Images captured from the dark web, such as these bed sheets, are being released for the first time to help identify objects that may reveal the identity of the children and their location.

Federal authorities have launched an unprecedented nat­ional appeal to the community for help in rescuing several unknown Australian children from being sexually abused online in a world-leading “shock and awe” operation to combat what investigators have warned was violence and abuse on an “industrial scale”.

In an aggressive step up by the Australian Federal Police, non-confronting images captured from the dark web and open source material will be released publicly for the first time to help identify objects that may reveal the identity of the children and their location.

The Australian is today publishing images provided by the Australian Centre for Countering Child Exploitation, which will issue a plea today for the community to act as sentinels in trying to crack child abuse cold cases.

The nine images involve an unspecified number of children who are being sexually abused online within Australia and who are being subjected to the most extreme acts of abuse and violence as police desperately seek to identify them.

The images being released in the ‘Stop child abuse — trace an object’ campaign

One of the nine images — a fitted sheet — that is being released by the AFP.

A T-shirt logo.

A hat that authorities hope will be recognised.

A television cabinet.

Following a memorandum of understanding with Europol, the ACCCE will today launch the first operation of its kind outside ­Europe — named Stop Child Abuse – Trace an Object — which will seek to enlist the community in helping identify objects extracted from the backgrounds of sexually explicit materials.

This child’s T-shirt has three Disney princesses with the logo ‘Princess 3’.

Do you recognise this mattress?

A senior government source said the AFP was going down a more aggressive path to find children who were being sexually assaulted with warnings from ACCCE that the abuse of children online was now at an “industrial scale” level. “Basically, these ­images relate to kids we cannot identify. We need to find them,” the source said.

In a call to the Australian community to now act, AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw, who has previously criticised tech companies for their lack of co-operation, said the protection of children was “everybody’s responsibility”.

A long-sleeved top.

“As I have said before, if it takes a village to raise a child, advances in technology now mean it takes a country to keep them safe,” Mr Kershaw said.

“Child protection is everyone’s responsibility. For every day that we cannot identify a child being harmed is another day of potential abuse. We need to remove these children from harm and, importantly, arrest those who carry out these heinous crimes.

“Can I ask with the Australian community today, please look at these images. They are not confrontational, they are images of sheets, T-shirts and other ­pieces of clothing. If you recognise anything, please report it on the AFP-led ACCCE website or call Crime Stoppers.”

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said: “Members of the public can view a range of objects with the intention to identify the origin of a particular piece of clothing or other item that could result in an offender and victim being identified and located.

A supplied image of bathroom tiles.

“These small everyday objects can sometimes end up being a key lead in an investigation; the smallest clue can often help solve a case.

“The ACCCE is committed to outsmarting serious crime and striving to be one step ahead because the world we live in demands it, and our community expects it.”

AFP Assistant Commissioner Lesa Gale said the images released were from cases investi­gators were yet to solve and that the production of child sexual abuse material was “getting worse and on an industrial scale”.

“In the early-to-mid 2000s, a child sex offender had about 1000 images; now it’s estimated to be between 10,000 to 80,000 images and videos,” Ms Gale said.

“In 2020, the AFP charged 191 people with 1847 alleged child abuse-related offences (between January 1 and December 31, 2020) and removed 89 children from harm. No child is ever forgotten and investigators never give up.

“Child sexual abuse is abhorrent and we need every member of the community to be our eyes and ears to help police save victims and arrest perpetrators.”

Europol’s program, launched in 2017, had resulted in the removal of 10 children from harm and the arrest of three offenders.

For more information and to view the objects visit www.accce.gov.au/trace