“To the untrained eye, these photos might seem like everyday snapshots,” the AFP noted in a release.

“However, for the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE), led by the AFP, these images serve as vital clues that could lead to identifying, rescuing, and assisting victims of online child sexual exploitation (OCSE).”

These nine photographs have links to Australia, whether through the victims, locations, or perpetrators involved.

The images have been carefully edited to remove explicit content, as the AFP encourages the public to provide any information or insights that might aid in their investigation.

“In this recent Stop Child Abuse – Trace an Object campaign, one photo features two framed football jerseys. By sharing it publicly, we hope to jog the memory of anyone who might recognize them,” explained Detective Sergeant Lana Carey, who leads the Victim Identification team.

“Possibilities here could include a player or club member who might recognise the jersey colours or design, a framer who might remember doing the job, or a fan who might know the significance of the number 8 and 11 jerseys being grouped together.

“It’s about tapping into the wisdom of everyday Australians. And we know they’re eager to play a role, given the previous three image releases have generated 1372 reports and counting.”

Carey noted that while every photo represented cases where all lines of inquiry had been exhausted, they were not seen as dead ends.

”Our identification specialists never give up on a victim,” she said.

“We follow every lead and avenue we have when files first come into the ACCCE, and if we don’t succeed.”

We will continue to visit them periodically, year after year after year after year, to see if new intelligence or technology might open up fresh lines of inquiry.

“It’s about the never-ending hunt for closure, the commitment to saving and supporting victims and survivors and, hopefully, that bittersweet moment when you realise you’ve solved it.”

“Our victim identification team members receive fresh images of online child sexual exploitation every single day,” Commander Schneider said.

“And every new file carries just as much horror and trauma for the victim as the one before it.

“Every one of them represents a life upended, so when team members take on a case, they never give up; it’s our version of looking for a needle in a haystack.

“We know community leads can make or break an investigation, so we encourage people to remember that any tip they give us – no matter how small could change the life of a victim.”