National
Siem Reap Screens Film on Online Child Exploitation at Global Freedom Summit
Phnom Penh, October 27, 2026: Siem Reap Deputy Governor Monny Reangsey represented Governor Prak Sophoan at the Global Freedom Summit's screening of a film on online child sexual exploitation and abuse on Oct. 26, 2026, joining national and international guests to confront the digital threat to children.
The event was attended by H.E. Pheng Chhetarett, a provincial council member and deputy head of the provincial working group, alongside Rachel Ball of the Australian Federal Police, A21 Asia Regional Director Kristen Scharf, and representatives of the Japanese, Canadian, Chinese, French and Korean consular offices in Siem Reap. APLE country director Samleang Seila, digital expert Chey Sophath, provincial officials, teachers, students, partner organisations and other guests were also present.
The deputy governor said the film carried a powerful message: online child sexual exploitation is a serious global problem requiring attention and joint action from all stakeholders. She stressed that it is not merely data on a screen but the real lives of children entitled to love, care, protection, education and the chance to live in safety and hope.
Whether such risks begin quietly behind phones or computers or through social media, their consequences can seriously harm children's physical and mental health, dignity and future, as well as their families and communities, she said. The problem is not distant or solvable by one sector alone, but requires shared responsibility and collective action so every child can use digital technology safely and be fully protected.
Monny Reangsey said the event deepened understanding of online child exploitation trends globally and in Cambodia, showing how offenders use technology to build trust, deceive, threaten and exploit children—often starting with ordinary conversation before escalating into abuse. She added that knowledge matters, but turning it into concrete action matters more, with continued efforts needed to strengthen education and awareness so children, parents, teachers and communities recognise the risks and warning signs.
In her capacity as an official responsible for child protection, she called on all concerned to treat online child protection as a shared priority—creating an environment where children feel safe to speak and share experiences without fear, and know they can seek help from parents, teachers, experts or authorities. Children must be listened to with care and believed, she said, and where a child has been harmed, the perpetrator—not the child—bears responsibility.
She also called for stronger reporting systems, referrals to support services and inter-institutional cooperation so affected children receive timely help and can recover physically, mentally and socially, along with stronger capacity for officials and experts to identify risks, investigate cases and enforce the law effectively in line with existing legislation and children's rights.
Source: Siem Reap Provincial Administration
Reported by The Khmer Today
