Girl, 15, rescued after sexual exploitation live-streamed on social media

A 15-year-old girl who was sexually abused live on social media has been rescued.

The girl was identified and located by Hope for Justice’s team in the US, after they received information from a woman they had previously trained to spot the signs of human trafficking.

A man has been charged with sexual assault, exploitation of a minor and child pornography, following a raid carried out by law enforcement.

The girl has been rescued and has been referred for further victim support. The investigation is ongoing.

Global anti-trafficking organisation Hope for Justice previously provided training alongside the District Attorney’s Office to low-income housing districts in downtown Nashville, Tennessee.

One of the US Hub investigators said: “A leader from the community who had attended the training contacted us last month. She said she had witnessed a young girl, who she knew, being sexually abused on a popular social media platform. This shocking and horrendous exploitation had been videoed and streamed live.

“The Hub used social media to identify the male offender. We worked with the social media platform’s security director and police, providing assistance with their investigation, and sharing evidence such as social media profiles, recovered text messages, victim interviews and information about the suspect.

“The victim was identified, located and safeguarded. We are so glad that she has been rescued.

“The alleged offender has been arrested.”