Two sisters attempted to blame the crimes on the children. Photo / BBC
Two sisters attempted to blame the crimes on the children. Photo / BBC
A shocking documentary has shed light on the mothers caught selling access to their own children to paedophiles.
In the latest instalment of Stacey Dooley Investigates, the London-born presenter travelled to the Philippines to film the documentary Mums Selling Their Kids For Money.
In harrowing scenes from the episode two women who have several children between them - some as young as five years old - are seen accepting money in exchange for access to the youngsters, the Daily Mail reports.
Despite the damning evidence, when the mothers are arrested by undercover Homeland Security Investigations officers, they shockingly attempt to blame the crimes on the children instead.
In her latest documentary for BBC Three, Stacey also met women who sexually abuse their own children on webcams.
Not only do the mothers featured abuse their children live for paedophiles across the globe, but they also traffic their children for hands-on abuse to travelling paedophiles - many of whom come from the US and the UK.
Stacey, who has spent a decade making films for BBC Three, spends time with an undercover Homeland agent named "Mike".
Mike has made contact with the women by creating a fake persona, and to gather the evidence he needed he asked the women what they would allow their children do.
He explained to Stacey that the mothers were willing to be directed by paying customers over a webcam to complete horrible acts on their children in return for money.
The women exchange their children for money to someone they believe is a paedophile but is actually an undercover agent. Photo / BBC
Mike said: "Some of these guys sometimes ask for the most horrendous abuse of a child.
"They could ask for a child to be lit on fire, basically tortured. Some of these guys you read their [online chats], they're obviously terribly sick people, they're monsters."
Stacey had access to a live sting operation coordinated by the Homeland task force involving two mothers - who are also sisters.
They arranged to meet with Mike at a private villa where they explained their girls "can do sex" before he handed over money as part of the transaction.
After gathering the evidence on camera Mike and his team were able to arrest the two women.
Shockingly, the women showed no remorse, and so Stacey visited the pair in prison afterwards to see if they realised the extent of their crime.
But the presenter was shocked to hear that the women pin the blame on their children.
"It was the kids, they initiated it themselves," one of the women claimed through tears.
"Many youths do things they shouldn't. There are things the parents can't control. But I'm not selling [them]..."
Both women are facing up to a life sentence as charges for child trafficking, child abuse and child pornography are brought against them.
Stacey told the cameras: "A, I know that's a complete lie and B, to have that mentality when you're supposed to be the person that protects them is just so depressing.
"It's such a disappointment and they just confirm that it was right to take those kids away from them two."
Footage of an operation shows an undercover agent meeting women at a market before arranging for a further meeting in hotel room. Photo / BBC
After their mothers' arrests the children of the two women are rehomed in the Filipino care system.
Stacey revealed in the programme that victims are given emotional and psychological support, but acknowledged the lasting effects of the sexual abuse.
Many tend to suffer from post-traumatic stress, turn to substances and have suicidal tendencies, she said.
"It's a really complicated situation and your emotions are back and forth," Stacey says as she observes the children being taken away.
"Part of you is delighted that the operation is going well because ultimately the kids are going to be safe and well in the future, but then you remind yourself that there are no real winners because these kids are going to have their mums taken away from them.
"It's very sad, it's very grey, and there is no black and white."
