A 34-year-old woman accused of uploading child abuse material to social media is among nine people charged with more than 30 offences following raids across NSW.<\/p>\n
Homes in Sydney, the Central Coast and Wollongong were searched by more than 140 officers from the Australian Federal Police (AFP), NSW Police and Australian Border Force during the two-week blitz.<\/p>\n
The nine accused range in ages from 18 to 62, and are not employed in roles with access to children. \u00a0<\/p>\n
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A woman allegedly uploaded files containing child abuse material to a social media platform. (Supplied: AFP)<\/p>\n
One of the most significant arrests, according to the AFP, involved a 62-year-old man from Wyongah who allegedly paid for live online sexual abuse material involving minors in the Philippines on three occasions.<\/p>\n
“Another from Sylvania allegedly posed as a female and engaged in online sexualised conversations with minors and received sexually explicit content,” AFP Commander Brett James said.<\/p>\n
“And a woman from Western Sydney allegedly uploaded 14 files containing child abuse material to a social media platform.”<\/p>\n
In another instance, a 37-year-old man from Chippendale was the alleged administrator of “multiple online group chats where members posted and traded child abuse material”.<\/p>\n
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A 37-year-old man from Chippendale was among the nine people charged. (Supplied: AFP)<\/p>\n
The accused face charges including possessing and soliciting child abuse material and engaging in indecent communications with minors \u2014 some of the offences carry a penalty of 20 years in jail.<\/p>\n
Commander James said there had been a 41 per cent increase in reports of online child exploitation since the previous financial year \u2014 a reflection of how easily predators can hide online and “exploit our vulnerable”.<\/p>\n
“These numbers are confronting, but they drive home why we need a community and a law enforcement response.<\/p>\n
“The more that we see, the better that we can respond to it, which means that ultimately we can protect more children.”<\/p>\n
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The raids took place in homes in Sydney, the Central Coast and Wollongong. (Supplied: AFP)<\/p>\n
Parents urged to talk to their children<\/p>\n
Parents and carers are being urged to regularly talk to their children about online safety, despite how “uncomfortable” they may be.<\/p>\n
“There are key questions to ask,” Commander James said.<\/p>\n