Ecpat director Eleanor Parkes said online sexual exploitation of children had been on the rise in the past year, due to increased time spent online through the pandemic.
“It's been a problem for a long time and it's been on the increase, but we definitely are seeing increasing vulnerability to this type of online sexual exploitation because of Covid, and because of the lockdowns.
“People are spending more time online – both perpetrators and potential victims.”
Parkes said Ecpat's prevention efforts focused equally on young males and females.
David White/Stuff
Aaron Hutton called himself kiwipedo on the dark web and tried to import a girl into New Zealand (file photo).