Forty-eight prosecutors and law enforcement partners completed the inaugural run of IJM’s POSE Fundamentals self-paced training, which ran from April to July 2024. A hybrid closing program, attended by all participants and hosted by IJM’s National Prosecution Development Team, was held on July 19, 2024.

Officially titled Prosecuting Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (POSE) Fundamentals: A Self-Paced Training for Combatting Online Sexual Exploitation of Children, the program is an online iteration of the existing POSE face-to-face training program that IJM has been conducting since 2018. To date, a total of 170 prosecutors, 95 law enforcers, and 8 AMLC lawyers and officers have benefited from the POSE training courses.  

Launched in April this year, POSE Fundamentals focuses on the application of trauma-informed care and child-protective strategies in the investigation and prosecution of Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC) cases, delivering key foundational principles to OSEC front-liners around the country. 

Offering flexibility and accessibility

The online format offers flexibility and makes the training more accessible to participants located in various regions around the country. In this first run, 34 out of the 48 participants were based outside Metro Manila.

The POSE Fundamentals self-paced training opens with an official launch and participants’ orientation and ends with a networking and closing program, both of which are live. In between the opening and closing programs, participants can attend the training modules according to their own rhythms.

For the first run of POSE Fundamentals, a hybrid live session was held last April 30, 2024, which marked the start of the training. The closing program took place on July 19, 2024. 

Prosecutors and law enforcement partners with the IJM team at the closing program of the POSE Fundamentals self-paced training.

Participant testimonials

Here are some testimonials from participants of the first cohort of the POSE Fundamentals self-paced training:

Pros. Maria Liza Guzman, Prosecution Attorney, Office of the Provincial Prosecutor – Cagayan:

This training helped me gain confidence in the preliminary investigation/prosecution of OSAEC cases in court, and other cases involving children as victims. Prior to this training, I only have a limited knowledge about the new laws like RA 11930, RA 11862, among others. This training really gave me the boost I needed to be better as a prosecutor. Thank you for this training!

Atty. Georgia May Klepp, IBP Director, IBP – Cebu City:

The training significantly enhanced my understanding of the topic, providing me with a deeper and more comprehensive knowledge base. The sessions were exceptionally informative, and speakers demonstrated a high level of expertise and professionalism, effectively conveying complex information in an engaging manner. The program was well-structured, user friendly making the learning experience both efficient and enjoyable. Overall, the training proved to be an invaluable resource for my professional development.

PAT Marah Jan Arriola, Patrolman, Philippine National Police – Women and Children Protection Center

The trainer's knowledge of the subject was impressive and their ability to explain complex topics in a simple manner was very helpful. The training was incredibly insightful, the real-world examples helped me understand how to apply these techniques in my daily interactions.

Watch the POSE Fundamentals Highlights

What’s next for the graduates?

The next step after taking POSE Fundamentals is POSE Advanced, which is an in-depth, highly interactive, and face-to-face training. Members of the first cohort will be candidates for the POSE Advanced selection process.

After completing POSE Fundamentals, participants can opt-in to receive training-related updates and opportunities in the areas of prosecution and law enforcement.

IJM POSE Fundamentals Second Run

The second run of POSE Fundamentals is set for August to October 2024. The second cohort is expected to be a larger group. The training can accommodate more than 70 participants per run, with room to expand depending on the demand.

The second run will officially start with a live launch and orientation on August 22, 2024, after which the self-paced training period will commence, on August 31, 2024.