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The complex experience of child pornography survivors

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Abstract

This research explores the complex experiences of survivors of child pornography production. The study was conducted among a convenience sample of child pornography adult survivors (N = 133), using an online survey which included a series of open-ended questions. Nearly half of respondents reported that they felt the production of sexual images caused specific problems that were different from the problems caused by other aspects of the abuse. Nearly half of the sample worried all the time that people would think they were willing participants or that people would recognize them, one-third refused to talk about the images and 22% denied there were images. The qualitative analysis identified three major themes which emerged from the survivor's perspective as adults: Guilt and shame, their ongoing vulnerability and an empowerment dimension the images sometimes brought. Recommendations for further research and additional implications are discussed.

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... With the recording of the sexual abuse, victims experience further and ongoing victimisation, potentially resulting in even more serious mental health consequences that may impact their adulthood as well. These include constant feelings of guilt and shame (Gewirtz-Meydan et al. 2018;Svedin and Back 2003), humiliation (Gewirtz-Meydan et al. 2019), worry about being recognized in public (Gewirtz-Meydan et al. 2018;NCMEC 2022), fear that others would think that they had been willing participants, and mental difficulties like anxiety, depression, paranoia, sleeping problems, hypervigilance, suicidal ideation or attempts, other self-harm, low body image, and relationship and sexual difficulties (Canadian Centre for Child Protection 2017). Many victims also feel pressure to co-operate and non-disclose (Silbert 1989). ...
... With the recording of the sexual abuse, victims experience further and ongoing victimisation, potentially resulting in even more serious mental health consequences that may impact their adulthood as well. These include constant feelings of guilt and shame (Gewirtz-Meydan et al. 2018;Svedin and Back 2003), humiliation (Gewirtz-Meydan et al. 2019), worry about being recognized in public (Gewirtz-Meydan et al. 2018;NCMEC 2022), fear that others would think that they had been willing participants, and mental difficulties like anxiety, depression, paranoia, sleeping problems, hypervigilance, suicidal ideation or attempts, other self-harm, low body image, and relationship and sexual difficulties (Canadian Centre for Child Protection 2017). Many victims also feel pressure to co-operate and non-disclose (Silbert 1989). ...
... Feelings of guilt, shame, and humiliation are intensified by the fact of being photographed or recorded (Hunt and Braid 1990). Being out on the internet, recordings cause an ongoing experience of revictimisation, a feeling that the abuse never ends (Gewirtz-Meydan et al. 2018). ...
Article
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Although the escalation in online child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is not a novel problem, recent digital proliferation has brought about new alarming challenges in addressing the issue. CSAM poses significant risks to children and society in general, the most serious being the long-lasting harmful effects on depicted victims. The already distressing problem is exacerbated by the worldwide appearance and spread of AI-driven or virtual CSAM, as AI offers a fast and increasingly profitable means for the sexual exploitation of children. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of current legislative measures focusing the European Union for combating online CSAM. With a particular focus on AI-driven CSAM, we will systematically evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of these regulations in addressing virtual CSAM. The paper will conclude with policy recommendations to address identified gaps in the European legislative framework concerning virtual CSAM.
... Long-term consequences up into adulthood (Fergusson et al., 2013) can include anxiety and nervousness, posttraumatic stress disorder, avoidance strategies (Goldbeck, 2015), as well as physical health issues such as obesity and diabetes (Clemens et al., 2018). Recent studies suggest that negative symptoms of online sexual abuse are similar to those of offline sexual abuse (Joleby et al., 2020a).When a digital component is added in the abuse, literature suggests that feelings of powerlessness and helplessness increase as the existence and distribution of the material cannot be controlled by victims (Franke & Graf, 2016;Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). Contrary to sexual abuse, being subjected to TA-CSA comes along with an ongoing victimization as online material can only be removed with great difficulty, if at all. ...
... The visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct was another type of TA-CSA that was studied by three research groups (Canadian Centre for Child Protection, 2017; Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2019; Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). Being described as child sexual abuse that had been recorded, the visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct might be the "typical" type of TA-CSA including intercourse, masturbation, and exhibition of the genitals or pubic area (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). Gewirtz-Meydan et al. (2019; also used the controversial term of child pornography stating that even though the term is intensely discussed and disliked by many professionals it is being used due to its legal understanding and application. ...
... In the study by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (2017), 56% of victims reported that the abuse started between birth and 4 years of age. In the study by Gewirtz-Meydan et al. (2018, 2019 the mean age when the images were first created was 6. Prominent in all three studies is the duration of the abuse, 80% continuing over a year as well as into adulthood, meaning that they had partially been abused for over 10 years. As the perpetrators were often part of their direct family members living under the same roof, the duration of the abuse without being discovered by a third party seems plausible. ...
Article
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Over the past two decades, technology-assisted child sexual abuse (TA-CSA) has become the focus of attention in politics, legislation, society, as well as research. However, the majority of literature and studies focus primarily on the offenders. This scoping review therefore aims to illustrate how victims of TA-CSA are represented in studies as primary participants. The databases Embase, PsychInfo, PSYNDEX, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science as well as reference lists were searched. Studies needed to be published between 2007 and 2021 and obtain data directly from and about victims to be included in this review. A total of 570 articles were identified from which 20 studies met inclusion criteria. The analysis showed that data can be obtained via different samples like adult and minor victims or other data such as legal documents or sexualized images. The studies researched different types of TA-CSA including exposure to pornographic material, online grooming leading to both online and offline sexual abuse, sexting and sexualized images, and the visual depiction of sexually explicit content. Consequences due to the abuse were of an emotional and psychological nature, medical or physical or impacted relationships, and the social environment. Even though the impact of the abuse on the victims appeared to be similar between different types of TA-CSA, much remains unknown. In order to gain further and more detailed insight into victims of TA-CSA, a universally accepted definition of TA-CSA as well as its different types and their distinctions needs to be established.
... 5 Investigations into child physical or sexual abuse can result in the detection of CSEM, demonstrating the relevance of determining whether CSEM exists by police investigators as well as child protection professionals (see Slane et al., 2018). Children who have been the victim of sexual abuse involving the production of CSEM, may be reluctant to disclose, or may even deny, the existence of images (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). Research into the reporting of childhood sexual abuse and CSEM victimization indicates that while children may tell an adult about the offenses, these offenses are not necessarily reported to authorities, with some abuse continuing even after the child has disclosed (see survey results from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection 6 ). ...
... Although discussions in this paper include how to navigate investigating the large volume of CSEM cases, it is important to remember that all CSEM cases are concerning; they create demand for the production and sharing of material and can have a significant long-term psychological impact on victims, including increased fear and vulnerability (see Canadian Centre for Child Protection, 2017;Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). Police investigation is not the only method of combatting CSEM offenses. ...
... Entre las consecuencias sociales se encuentran el aislamiento social, la desconfianza y el riesgo de realizar conductas delictivas (de Manuel, 2017), así como una mayor probabilidad de ser revictimizada en el futuro o de perpetuar abusos contra otros (Cantón-Cortés y Cortés, 2015). Se ha de tener en cuenta que las víctimas de pornografía infantil no comprenden las repercusiones cuando participan en la elaboración del material; esto acarrea sentimientos de culpa y vergüenza, por percibirse como colaboradoras de los hechos (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). Además, la presencia de las imágenes o vídeos en la red genera una revictimización continúa por el constante miedo a que el material se difunda. ...
... A este respecto, la literatura señala que el trato recibido en el proceso judicial es tan importante como su resultado para el bienestar psicológico de la víctima (Arce et al., 2019;Cattaneo y Goodman, 2010). Para ello, Echeburúa y Subijana (2008) recogen unas propuestas de cara a salvaguardar el bienestar psicológico de los NNA, como la posibilidad de que la víctima no participe en el proceso, la cual se ve favorecida en los delitos de pornografía al existir una prueba documental que facilita la penalidad del acusado (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018), o la posibilidad de que el menor declare por videoconferencia o mediante una prueba preconstituida , habiéndose mostrado un medio de prueba eficaz. ...
Article
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Sumarios La Organización de las Naciones Unidas describe la pornografía infantil como una forma específica de abuso sexual desde 1989. En los últimos años y debido al amplio acceso a internet, se ha producido un aumento global de la ciberdelincuencia y, en particular, de los delitos de pornografía infantil a través de la red. Con el objetivo de conocer la situación delictiva y las características de la corrupción de menores y pornografía infantil en España se ha diseñado un estudio basado en la metodología de análisis de contenido de sentencias judiciales. Se seleccionaron aleatoriamente 100 sentencias penales sobre delitos de pornografía infantil y corrupción de menores a través de la base de datos CENDOJ. Todas ellas fueron emitidas por las Audiencias Provinciales de todo el estado entre los años 2018 y 2023. Los criterios de inclusión para su selección han sido los siguientes: a) casos donde la acusación contuviera un delito de pornografía infantil y corrupción de menores; b) que el acusado haya sido imputado por elaboración, posesión y/o distribución; c) que las víctimas sean niños o niñas menores de 16 años; y d) que el fallo sea condenatorio. La información obtenida se sistematizó en el análisis de las siguientes dimensiones: a) características de las víctimas; b) variables criminológicas que rigen estos delitos; c) características del proceso judicial, incluyendo los medios de protección concedidos a las víctimas. Se exponen los resultados obtenidos y se destaca la importancia de que estos casos se aborden judicialmente con orientación de justicia terapéutica, con el fin de proteger a los niños y a las niñas implicados.
... La Organización Mundial de la Salud (2020) estima que una de cada cinco niñas y uno de cada trece niños ha sufrido violencia sexual durante su infancia, con consecuencias devastadoras en sus vidas (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018;Hailes et al., 2019). En Argentina, cifras oficiales brindadas por el Ministerio Nacional de Justicia y Derechos Humanos indican que el 60 % de las víctimas de violencia sexual atendidas por el programa Las Víctimas contra las Violencias son menores de 18 años (UNICEF, 2021). ...
... El nivel de acuerdo con tales pensamientos refleja indiferencia y poca empatía ante el sufrimiento de los NNA que aparecen en el MASI, y una falta de consideración de estos comportamientos como formas de ASI (Negredo & Herrero, 2016). Esta naturalización de prácticas abusivas discrepa con la abundante evidencia de las consecuencias físicas, psíquicas y emocionales, a corto y largo plazo, que conlleva ser víctima de ASI en cualquiera de sus formas (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018;Hailes et al., 2019). ...
Article
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Se estima que entre un 1 % y un 5 % de varones de población general mayores de 18 años manifiesta haber cometido conductas de Abuso Sexual Infantil (ASI), al menos una vez en su vida, y que la cifra de quienes admiten consumir Material de Abuso Sexual Infantil (MASI) es superior. El presente trabajo describe comportamientos y creencias asociadas al ASI en 345 varones de Argentina que respondieron una encuesta online. Un 6.3 % de los participantes reportó alguna conducta de abuso contra niños, niñas y adolescentes (NNA), ya sea directa o a través de Internet. Específicamente, un 3.8 % indicó haber manifestado algún comportamiento relacionado con el consumo de MASI. Las creencias asociadas al consumo de MASI más frecuentes en la muestra tendían principalmente a la minimización del daño sufrido por los NNA presentes en ese tipo de contenidos. Aunque algunas de estas creencias fueron significativamente más prevalentes en varones con conductas de ASI, también estuvieron presentes en varones que no reportaban conductas abusivas. Se discute la importancia de los estudios poblacionales y la necesidad de implementar estrategias de prevención primaria y secundaria que complementen las intervenciones en víctimas y agresores judicializados.
... This dearth of research is particularly surprising given the impact of early and frequent exposure to internet pornography. Such exposure has been growing at alarming rates (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018;Wolak et al., 2007) and may increase the likelihood that children will imitate these sexual acts on each other, as found in studies of sibling sexual abuse (e.g., . ...
... Protection and sexual education programs are aimed at older ages (Tener & Katz, 2019), leaving younger children on the sidelines, vulnerable to becoming both perpetrators and victims. Thus, young children exposed to online sexual materials, for example, are often left without suitable guidance to help them negotiate these new curiosities and explorations (e.g., Gewirtz--Meydan et al., 2018). However, this much needed advice and support are facets that both educational and therapeutic environments are precisely suited to provide to child survivors, their parents, and extended family alike (Khoury-Kassabri et al., 2005;Tutty et al., 2019). ...
Article
Child sexual abuse (CSA) has received considerable recent attention from scholars, contributing to prevention and therapeutic intervention services worldwide. However, CSA is still defined as a form of abuse characterized by age and power gaps between victims and perpetrators, despite ample evidence to the contrary. This may explain why preadolescent peer sexual abuse (PAPSA) remains an understudied area of research. PAPSA is generally defined as sexual acts that are developmentally inappropriate and or harmful between children of the same or similar age. The current study was designed to examine educational and therapeutic practitioners’ perceptions of PAPSA and their interactions with children and youth in their care who experienced this form of abuse, specifically focusing on children between the ages of 6-12. Forty in-depth interviews were conducted with practitioners who have encountered PAPSA in their professional lives, using snowball purposeful sampling. The interviews were analyzed using the qualitative thematic analysis method. The results revealed that participants struggled to make meaning and understand the effects of the phenomenon. To make sense of their experiences in encountering PAPSA, they relied on specific contextual elements related to (1) the characteristics of the peers involved, such as age, gender, and personal history; (2) the type and severity of the sexual acts and the effects on the survivors’ lives; and (3) the social discourse on sexuality—in particular, on sexual abuse—within the relevant age group. Relating to each of these contexts helped them to make sense of their experiences. Additionally, the final theme that emerged was the potential of educational and therapeutic environments to become spaces where PAPSA can be addressed in a compassionate way. The discussion emphasizes the complex and multifaceted nature of the PAPSA phenomenon, the lack of clear definitions guiding intervention, and the urgent need to advance theory to promote both prevention and therapeutic intervention efforts.
... Resharing of images can lead to the distribution of these images as child sexual exploitation material or sextortion. The harms associated with this nonconsensual sharing and online sexual solicitation can be severe and wide-ranging for young people Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). ...
... Our findings unveil how documented sexual violence is often misinterpreted as proof of consent rather than as evidence of a crime, further compounding the victim's shame and suffering. This paradox was also highlighted in research among adult survivors of child pornography (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). In the study, several participants described how the widely recognized seriousness of the crime they were subjected to helped them to eventually understand that someone else was accountable for their suffering-thereby reducing their shame and selfblame. ...
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Despite extensive research and public discourse on the effects of pornography for consumers, little attention is given to the experiences of those filmed for its production. Drawing upon in-depth interviews with 28 individuals filmed for pornography, we explored what pornography represents for them and its implications for their lives. Through reflexive thematic analysis, we identified three main themes: Coercion behind the illusion of desire, A public record, and Enduring impacts. Our findings challenge the notion that pornography predominantly features sexual acts devoid of coercion. We conclude with a discussion on the legal and practical implications of our findings.
... The most highly traded and in-demand CSAM images depict the abuse of young girls by their fathers (Seto et al., 2018). The long-term impacts of CSAM victimization are considerable, with survivors reporting complex trauma as well as hypervigilance and anxiety about the ongoing distribution of their abuse images (C3P, 2017;Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). Ongoing distribution leaves survivors vulnerable to extortion and harassment from CSAM consumers (C3P, 2017). ...
Article
This article examines the experiences of female partners and relatives of child sexual abuse material offenders and the (il)legibility of their experiences within prevailing theoretical frameworks and policy responses to violence against women. Drawing on survey and interview data with clients of a specialist support agency, we situate the lack of understanding and support available to these women within the systematic depoliticization of child sexual abuse. The article traces how women developed their own social critique of child sexual exploitation as a form of gendered violence and called for a feminist reengagement with the politics of child sexual abuse.
... Signs of female genital mutilation (FGM) or cutting, such as loss of part or all of the prepuce (clitoral hood), clitoris, labia minora or labia majora, or vertical linear scar adjacent to the clitoris (Type 4 FGM) 3) Acute trauma to oral tissues 40. Acute oral trauma, such as unexplained injury or petechiae of the lips or palate, particularly near the junction of the hard and soft palate Kellogg et al. 9) The child is unable to verbalize details of the assault In addition, we recommend assessments when: 10) The sexual abuse has been witnessed or documented with photos or video, given that child subjects typically do not fully disclose details of their abuse (Gewirtz-Meydan, Walsh, Wolak, & Finkelhor, 2018) While many centers routinely test all children who present for examination with sexual abuse allegations, the rate of positive STI results in patients who do not meet this criteria is unknown, Most of these recommendations also apply to testing for STIs in adolescents. Additional considerations for testing adolescents include history or exam findings that support concern for trafficking, sexting, or commercial sexual exploitation of children. ...
... However, not all participants experienced negative long-term reactions to childhood experiences of OSA. For example, two participants described a neutral reaction to the non-consensual sharing of their images as they eventually came to view them as part of many sexual images that can be found online, a view that has been documented in other survivors in previous literature (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). These findings suggest that strategies that could promote a similar reframing around the person's concerns and anxiety around permanence of their images in the digital space may help victims manage the distress OSA victims experience. ...
Article
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Introduction There has been a rapid increase in prevalence rates of online sexual abuse (OSA). Existing research has highlighted the negative impact OSA can have on victims. However, there is a gap in understanding the long-term impact of OSA when it occurred in childhood. Methods This qualitative study comprised interviews with eight female participants aged 18–28 years recruited in UK NHS Trusts, and via mental health charities, University bulletins and social media. Each participant self-reported having experienced abuse through either the production or dissemination of sexual material online. Results Results showed that the longer-term impact of OSA was multi-fold, including negative impact on sense of self and broader interpersonal relationships, and significant impact on the participants’ mental health, including experiences of self-harm, anxiety, and low mood. Likewise, participants discussed long-term apprehension to taking images and the added fear and worry that their sexual images were distributed online. Seven participants had received mental health support but only two recounted a positive experience when receiving support for OSA. Discussion Future research using a quantitative longitudinal design is needed to further explore the prolonged impact of OSA. Clinical implications of the research highlight the need for support services to assess the impact of OSA and interventions that target OSA experiences.
... Regarding attitudes toward sexting, recent research has found that some women perceive sexting as improving the quality of an intimate relationship, while others perceive the pressures and risks associated with sharing their content due to sexting (Lenhart, 2009;Ringrose et al., 2012). Similarly, for some men, sexting is positive and perceived as fun, while for others it causes stress (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018;Ringrose et al., 2012). The results of some research (Lim et al., 2016) showed that previous involvement in sexting significantly contributes to positive attitudes toward sexting. ...
Article
The theory of planned behavior (TPB) is a widely used framework for predicting behavior. Considering that technology supported sexual behavior (e.g., sexting) is widespread among emerging adults, it is logical to assume that it is driven by existing social norms, accepted standards of behavior, and the opinions of others, all of which are core constructs of TPB. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine whether intention to sext can be predicted by the constructs of the theory of planned behavior. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with 314 emerging adults aged 18–29 years who completed a self-report questionnaire online. The modified Theory of Planned Behavior Questionnaire for the sexting context, which measures attitudes toward sexting, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, and sexting intention, was used. The results of the path analyses mainly confirmed the model proposed by the Theory of planned behavior. Of the three TPB core factors, only subjective norm did not significantly have effect on sexting intention. Our results show that attitude, normative beliefs, and control directly predict sexting intention, and control beliefs indirectly predict sexting intention via perceived behavioral control, partially confirming the sequential relationship proposed by the Theory of planned behavior.
... I have even missed very important appointments as I cannot face attending the clinic for fear' (Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, 2019: 6; see also R v. Grayson: 6). In the specific example of victims of child sexual abuse who are unaware that their abuse has been recorded, 'the existence of abusive images always [leads] to additional psychological stress' (von Weiler et al., 2010: 216;Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). It has also been shown that victims of fraud can suffer emotional and psychological trauma, behavioural impacts and physical harm alongside their financial loss (Button et al., 2009;Cross and Blackshaw, 2014;Poppleton et al., 2021). ...
Article
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This article explores the situation in which a victim who has been identified during a criminal justice investigation is unaware of the crime committed against them. We argue that unknowing victims possess a unique vulnerability because discovering their victim status is highly likely to have harmful effects. Where law enforcement officers (LEOs) remain unaware of the victim's knowledge of the crime, this should be perceived as a clue to potential vulnerability. Any subsequent disclosure of the crime to an unknowing victim is an external intervention that exposes them to the risk of harm, thereby raising significant ethical questions. Yet the ethical ramifications of disclosure are not considered in the policing literature and there is no specific professional guidance in England and Wales (and beyond) on this situation. Focusing on two of the primary crime contexts in which a victim can be unknowing (sexual offences and fraud), we scrutinise the ethical issues surrounding LEOs disclosing to an unknowing victim, aligning our analysis with the College of Policing's Code of Ethics and vulnerability-related risks guidelines, and a therapeutic jurisprudence approach to policing.
... According to some studies, the quality of such images could even be considered a factor in increasing obesity (Kenny, 2011). Due to its nature, the prevalence of sexting in the general population is harder to estimate, but there is evidence that it has been increasing over the last decade (Van Ouytsel et al., 2015), in conjunction with claims that couples in several countries increasingly report negative assessments of their sex life (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). Sexting has also been associated with attempts to compensate for missed opportunities to meet in person during the pandemic (Gleason et al., 2021). ...
Article
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Interpersonal communication in the twenty-first century is increasingly taking place within digital media. This poses the problem of understanding the factors that may facilitate or hinder communication processes in virtual contexts. Digital media require a human-machine interface, and the analysis of human-machine interfaces traditionally focuses on the dimension of usability. However, interface usability pertains to the interaction of users with digital devices, not to the interaction of users with other users. Here we argue that there is another dimension of human-media interaction that has remained largely unexplored, but plays a key role in interpersonal communication within digital media: shareability. We define shareability as the resultant of a set of interface features that: (i) make sharing of materials with fellow users easy, efficient, and timely (sharing-related usability); (ii) include features that intuitively invite users to share materials (sharing-related affordances); and (iii) provide a sensorimotor environment that includes perceptual information about both presented materials and the behavior of other users that are experiencing these materials through the medium at hand (support to shared availability). Capitalizing on concepts from semiotics, proxemics, and perceptual and cognItive neuroscience, we explore potential criteria to asses shareability in human-machine interfaces. Finally, we show how these notions may be applied in the analysis of three prototypical cases: online gaming, visual communication on social media, and online distance teaching.
... While these initiatives are important, an evident focus on protective parents in online safety frameworks overlooks the cohort of children who are sexually exploited by parental figures (e.g., mother, father, step-parent, parent's partner or foster parent). Research with adult survivors of CSAM finds that parents and familial figures are frequently identified as CSAM producers (C3P, 2017;Gewirtz-Meydan, Walsh, Wolak, & Finkelhor, 2018), and research with law enforcement and welfare professionals has drawn similar conclusions 5 (Gallagher, 2007;Sprang & Cole, 2018). The predominance of parental perpetrators is not a new phenomenon. ...
Article
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The aim of this review is to summarise the available empirical research on parental production and to explore the discursive positioning of parental perpetrators within scholarship on child sexual abuse material. Academic databases were searched using a combination of relevant terms, and the review was expanded as new terms were identified. The review identified 66 scholarly articles, papers or books that referred to parental production of child sexual abuse material published since 1970. In order to explore how parental offenders have been positioned within this literature over time, the review is presented according to a chronological summary, drawing out key themes and empirical insights. The review showed that parental child sexual abuse material production is common, more likely to involve pre-pubescent victims, more severe abuse, female as well as male perpetrators, and produces high-demand illegal content with serious long-term sequelae. However, the review found that the focus of child trafficking and sexual exploitation scholarship on "commercial" and profit-driven abuse has marginalised and obscured parental child sexual abuse material production as a serious policy challenge. These findings warrant a reorientation of research, policy and practice approaches to technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation, as well as reflection on the resistance of researchers and policy-makers to acknowledging the problem of family-based sexual exploitation.
... This increase is understood to be a combination of having more time to spend online, new users taking the step to explore more extreme material, as well as users who have tried to quit but because of the current situation have returned to using. This is especially notable in the present review as most material of this type abuses underaged women (Pereda et al. 2009;Gewirtz-Meydan 2018;Quayle, Jones 2003). ...
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Las hostilidades y despojos se multiplican contra las mujeres cuando se despliegan los extractivismos, se reconfiguran las luchas emancipadoras y el cuerpo se entiende como territorio en defensa por la vida. La continuidad de los estados liberales y los imperativos de transformaciones neodesarrollistas forman tensiones que representan una problemática social de grandes dimensiones. En este marco son fundamentales las consideraciones realizadas desde el Colectivo Miradas Críticas del Territorio desde el Feminismo que, en conjunto con otras organizaciones, han ampliado la protección de la vida a lo que interpretan como actividades extractivistas, específicamente en los cuerpos feminizados, así como el subgrupo de Investigación de Enfoque Estratégico (Subgiee) Sostenibilidad y Antropoceno del Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Puebla, desde donde se acompañan y retoman las experiencias, pensares y sentires de las organizaciones y colectivos del sureste de México para generar alternativas de comprensión de las violencias que atraviesan los cuerpos-territorios.
... It is important to note that mental health difficulties are associated with sexual harassment regardless of the platform the harassment was on (online or in person). However, online sexual harassment may have unique features that carry the potential for elevated stress, such as high exposure if the image is distributed, or fear of exposure, and significant and elevated guilt, humiliation, and shame (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). For example, it is extremely challenging, if even possible, to completely eliminate explicit photographs or videos once they have been electronically released. ...
Article
Currently, dating apps are one of the most popular platforms for meeting romantic and sexual partners. However, little is known about the potential for sexual harassment on these platforms. In the current scoping review, we sought to examine what is known about sexual harassment facilitated through smartphone dating apps. We searched for studies that reported on sexual harassment via dating apps through PubMed, Web of Science, PsycInfo, Communication Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, and IEEE Xplore databases. Twelve studies addressed the risk of sexual harassment on dating apps. We found that sexual harassment when using dating apps is prevalent and ranges between 57 and 88.8%, with two populations being at higher risk: women and individuals who identify as a sexual minority. In terms of forms of harassment, sexual harassment via dating apps can take place online (e.g., being sent unsolicited images, or “dick pics”) or offline (e.g., a face-to-face meeting that was arranged on a dating app). Experiencing sexual harassment on dating apps is associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, loneliness, early childhood maltreatment, less perceived self-control, and lower self-esteem. Some studies suggest that experiencing sexual harassment on dating apps reflects social structures and appears differently in different groups (e.g., among sexual minorities). More research is needed to capture the prevalence of adult sexual harassment via the use of dating apps, the different forms of harassment, risk and protective factors, and social and cultural structures that facilitate this kind of sexual harassment.
... Girls tend to be the victims of child pornography more often than boys, with girls more likely to be victimized by a family member, while boys are more likely to be victimized by an acquaintance (Cale et al., 2021;Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). Perhaps surprising, most victims of child pornography know the perpetrator (Cale et al., 2021). ...
... This increase is understood to be a combination of having more time to spend online, new users taking the step to explore more extreme material, as well as users who have tried to quit but because of the current situation have returned to using. This is especially notable in the present review as most material of this type abuses underaged women (Pereda et al. 2009;Gewirtz-Meydan 2018;Quayle, Jones 2003). ...
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En este volumen presentamos una amplia reflexión sobre la situación de los principales debates actuales de los feminismos. El propósito de pararnos en estas reflexiones es avanzar en igualdad. Sin duda los feminismos, a nivel internacional, están viviendo en los últimos años un desarrollo y un progreso espectacular. La concienciación de las sociedades a nivel mundial hacia la necesidad de implementar la agenda igualitaria que los diferentes feminismos han ido construyendo ha experimentado un incremento considerable. Así, hoy en día, es usual conocer las grandes líneas de las propuestas de las políticas públicas de igualdad en los medios de comunicación cotidianos. No hace falta tener un contexto de acción, reflexión y lucha feminista para conocer los objetivos principales de los feminismos. Podemos decir que, a grandes rasgos, la agenda feminista ha salido claramente de la academia y de las organizaciones feministas para convertirse en parte de las demandas democráticas más básicas de la mayoría de la ciudadanía. Esa conciencia democrática de la igualdad, entendida finalmente también en términos de sexo/género, ha promovido debates muy intensos, pero también muy productivos, sobre cuestiones de interpretación de conceptos, de derechos, de normas, de actitudes, de experiencias, de razones y argumentos. Con el título de La praxis feminista en clave transformadora reflexionamos sobre los puntos más importantes para avanzar en igualdad y en democracia, que no pueden sino ir de la mano. Lo que pretendemos es dotar de elementos de análisis que nos permitan comprender bien a qué estamos llamadas la generación actual de feministas. Más allá del relato de las olas del feminismo pensamos que ser feminista supone un compromiso con las generaciones anteriores de mujeres que lucharon por nuestra liberación. No es un compromiso que nos obliga, es un compromiso que nos da sentido; es decir, que esas luchas anteriores de los feminismos son parte de lo que somos. Son nuestra genealogía que nos ayuda a buscar las vías para los debates de hoy; nos ayuda a ver argumentos, experiencias y sentidos que son valiosos para entender las posibles soluciones a los problemas que la democracia y la igualdad tienen en el presente. Pensar de esta forma «genealógica», con esa fuerza que da ese compromiso con el presente tiende, a su vez, enlaces con las generaciones futuras.
... This increase is understood to be a combination of having more time to spend online, new users taking the step to explore more extreme material, as well as users who have tried to quit but because of the current situation have returned to using. This is especially notable in the present review as most material of this type abuses underaged women (Pereda et al. 2009;Gewirtz-Meydan 2018;Quayle, Jones 2003). ...
... This increase is understood to be a combination of having more time to spend online, new users taking the step to explore more extreme material, as well as users who have tried to quit but because of the current situation have returned to using. This is especially notable in the present review as most material of this type abuses underaged women (Pereda et al. 2009;Gewirtz-Meydan 2018;Quayle, Jones 2003). ...
... CSEM is not a victimless crime when it depicts real children; though evidence is limited, adults who were recorded as children to create CSEM report significant harm as a result. Harms associated with CSEM victimization include worries that they might be recognized or that viewers would assume they were willing participants (Canadian Centre for Child Protection, 2018;Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). Making this distinction between real and fictional children is also consistent with American law, where the DSM is most influential, because child pornography statutes cover only depictions of real children, not fictional children, following the Supreme Court decision in Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition in 1992, where content depicting fictional children was deemed to be protected by the First Amendment. ...
... CSEM is not a victimless crime when it depicts real children; though evidence is limited, adults who were recorded as children to create CSEM report significant harm as a result. Harms associated with CSEM victimization include worries that they might be recognized or that viewers would assume they were willing participants (Canadian Centre for Child Protection, 2018;Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018). Making this distinction between real and fictional children is also consistent with American law, where the DSM is most influential, because child pornography statutes cover only depictions of real children, not fictional children, following the Supreme Court decision in Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition in 1992, where content depicting fictional children was deemed to be protected by the First Amendment. ...
Preprint
Invited Commentary on DSM-5-TR text for Pedophilic Disorder. To appear in journal Archives of Sexual Behavior
... Despite these indications, a recent systematic review identified only nine studies dealing with HPSB (Author 1 and Author 3, 2019). The researchers noted that the sparseness was surprising given the impact of early and frequent exposure to internet pornography, which is growing at alarming rates (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018;Wolak et al., 2007). Such exposure may result in inappropriate sexual behaviors among peers of similar ages. ...
Article
Background Harmful preadolescent sexual behavior (HPSB) is an understudied phenomenon in the field of child sexual abuse (CSA). Objective The purpose of the present study was to analyze and describe the experiences and perceptions of adult survivors of HPSB. Participants and setting 16 survivors of HPSB were recruited as part of a purposeful sample. Their ages at the time of the study ranged from 21 to 50; they were Jewish-Israeli, secular, and Hebrew-speaking. Methods Semi-structured interviews and qualitative thematic analysis were conducted based on a descriptive phenomenological-psychological approach. Results Participants described elements of complexity in their perceptions of the “truthiness” of their memories and the mutuality of the HPSB experiences, as well as their primacy, seriousness, and life impact. They also described elements of support during disclosure, but mostly exposed the challenges and hardship involved, particularly the lack of legitimacy in exposing harmful sexual behavior perpetrated by other children. Conclusions Both the HPSB experiences themselves and the subsequent disclosure contributed to the development of detached, mistrustful identities among the participants.
... It is known that lifetime victimization of the child due to the images or video textured online results in traumatic mental health consequences. Victims suffer from unremitting apprehension about the exposure of the images and videos online and about being identified by others, leading to feelings of ongoing guilt, susceptibility, helplessness, and powerlessness as they experience cumulative trauma exposure (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2018, 2019Von Weiler et al., 2010). Additionally, the child's normal development is thwarted, leading to insecure attachment with family and others, emotional instability, and different mental health conditions (Ratican, 1992). ...
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India has a global ranking of the second largest child population and has been ranked 65th among 80 countries, thereby presenting child safety concerns. (Sharma, 2020). Every 15 minutes, a child is sexually exploited in India, according to the BBC report (2017). Growing digitalization proliferates children's vulnerability to harm (UNICEF, Apr; 2020). Sexual exploitation causes wounds to a child which can never be healed. Child pornography is defined as ‘Any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor (persons less than 18 years old)’ (Department of justice, NYC, 2017). According to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act in India, it refers to ‘Any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a child which includes a photograph, video, digital or computer generated image indistinguishable from an actual child and an image created, adapted or modified but appear to depict a child’ (POCSO, 2019). Around the globe, the ratio of online uploading of child sexual abuse material ranked highest in India; which raises the concerns towards the safety of the children during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Many researchers provide data regarding the exploitation of children by their family members, close relatives, and neighbors involving in this heinous crime (Sharma, 2020).
Article
Child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) users elicit strong negative reactions from society and people within their networks. There are symbolic and social boundaries that these individuals have transgressed, and subsequent identity work involves the negotiation of self and self-presentation. This article combines results from two studies to explore negotiation of identity, symbolic and social boundaries, and associated narratives among 103 CSEM users. One study was an anthropological ethnography with 17 months of UK fieldwork in community-based group programs, and the other involved four months of interviews in sexual offense treatment units of a US prison. Participants’ identity work had commonalities: distinguishing between acts vs identities; differentiating crimes from identities; comparing offenses to others viewed as worse; framing childhood experiences as influencing offending; and situating both offending and post-offending identities within larger society. Results are discussed in the context of debates about risk, treatment, prevention, harm, denial/downplay/minimization, and reintegration. Furthermore, we highlight how identity work occurs within potentially competing/contrasting personal, judicial, treatment, media, and societal reactions to and expectations of individuals who have committed sexual offenses. Finally, we demonstrate the methodological and analytical value of cross-disciplinary comparative qualitative research by showing similarities across participants from different countries, settings, timeframes, and interventions.
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This research paper examines the profound psychological and social consequences experienced by victims of online child sexual abuse. It sheds light on the prevalence and impacts of online child sexual abuse, including grooming, sextortion, and the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material. The psychological consequences encompass a range of issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety disorders, disrupted attachment, sexual dysfunctions, self-esteem issues, and an increased risk of suicidal ideation. Social consequences include stigmatization, victim blaming, social isolation, educational disruptions, and strained familial relationships. The study explores the challenges faced by victims in seeking support and recovery and provides insights into prevention and intervention strategies. It emphasizes the need for legislative measures, international cooperation, education campaigns, victim-centered approaches, and research and data collection. Overall, this research highlights the necessity of a comprehensive and collaborative approach to effectively combat online child sexual abuse and safeguard the well-being of victims.
Article
The present study was undertaken to understand the prevalence of child sexual abuse and its association with the wellbeing of a sample of LGBTQ + individuals in India. A total of 206 respondents took part in the study. The WHO-5 wellbeing scale developed by the World Health Organization was used to assess the wellbeing of the respondents. The prevalence of child sexual abuse among the respondents was high (46.1 per cent). In general, the level of wellbeing of the respondents was found to be below average. Among those who had experienced child sexual abuse, the majority of the respondents were cisgender women. Cisgender women respondents were also more likely to have a much lower mean rank of wellbeing compared to the other groups and similarly, respondents who identified as lesbians were also found to have a lower level of wellbeing compared to respondents who identified themselves as bisexual, pansexual, and gay. Other associated factors have been discussed in the full paper. The role of family in supporting and helping the individuals heal, has also been discussed in detail. There is a need for families to be more empathetic toward the victims.
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In digital forensics the Computer Forensics Field Triage Process Model (CFFTPM) addresses use cases, where an immediate on-site processing of digital evidence is necessary to impede ongoing severe criminal offences like child abuse, abduction or extortion. For instance in case of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) an instant in situ digital forensics investigation of seized devices may reveal digital traces to identify incriminated pictures produced by the suspect himself. In order to protect the victims from further violation the fast and reliable identification of such self produced CSAM files is of utmost importance, however, it is a non-trivial task. In this paper we propose an efficient and effective clustering method as part of the CFFTPM to identify self-produced incriminated images on-site. Our concept extends the classical hash-based identification of chargeable data and makes use of image metadata to cluster pictures according to their source. We successfully evaluate our approach on base of a publicly available image data set and show that our clustering even works in the presence of anti-forensics measures.KeywordsDigital ForensicsTriageCSAMClusteringEXIFUMAP
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This article presents the novel conceptualization of the unknowing victim (UV) and addresses the ethical ramifications of this status. Criminology and victimology have primarily focused on knowing victims, but certain crimes occur without the victim’s detection (e.g. sexual assault of an unconscious victim). There is a critical liminal dimension to UV’s status: they are on the threshold between unawareness and conscious awareness of their status as victims of crime and are thus situated on the brink of experiencing harm through their own discovery, or someone else’s disclosure, of the crime committed against them. We call for the recognition of UVs and the temporalities of their embodied experiences, and argue that there is an ethical imperative to prioritize their lived experience.
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Este estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de identificar os fatores de vulnerabilidades em que as crianças são violadas em sua infância por conta das violências sexuais. Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa, utilizando os seguintes descritores: violência sexual, criança, infantil, infância, vulnerabilidade, nas línguas portuguesa, inglesa e espanhola. Os dados obtidos permitiram a categorização e análise das vulnerabilidades individuais e sociais abordadas nos 80 textos científicos analisados. A violência sexual infantil acarreta consequências negativas para o desenvolvimento neurológico, emocional, físico e social das vítimas, sendo responsabilidade de todos o enfrentamento efetivo a essa violação. A bioética, na tentativa de garantir o respeito à dignidade e a proteção à infância, busca desvelar e promover ações de reflexão e de prevenção da violência contra essa população vulnerável.
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Introduction This qualitative study explored healthcare professionals' current understanding of, and clinical practices related to, Online Child Sexual Abuse (OCSA). Methods Data were collected across two UK sites (Manchester and Edinburgh). Interviews and one focus group were held with 25 practitioners working in services offering clinical support to young people who have experienced OCSA. Thematic analysis of the data identified three overarching themes and 10 subthemes related to the research questions: (1) the breadth of the problem; (2) working with OCSA; and (3) the emotionally charged nature of OCSA. Results While practitioners recognized OCSA as problematic, they differed in how they conceptualized it. There was a heightened awareness of the role that sexual images played in OCSA and concerns about first-person-produced imagery by Children and Young People (CYP). Practitioners described a generational gap related to their technology use and that of the young people they worked with. Practitioners also described a paucity of referral pathways and concerns that there was no training available to them. Organizational barriers meant that questions about technology use were not routinely included in assessments and often there was reliance on young people making disclosures. Discussion Novel findings from this study were the psychological impacts that such cases had on practitioners, which may indicate a need for organizational support for staff as well as further training needs. Existing frameworks that help conceptualize and assess the role of technology as part of the ecology of the child may have great utility for practitioners.
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During and after therapy, persons with a sexual interest in children frequently have relapses in their use of child sexual abusive images (CSAI). This is often not taken into consideration in risk assess ment instruments. With the Child Pornography Offender Risk Tool, for example, no prediction can be made about recidivism of legally unknown users of abuse images. In order to identify an increased risk of relapse and to adequately intervene, data from the Prevention Network Don't offend were evaluated, including additional clinical risk factors from the initial contact. The findings: People who consume abuse images particularly frequently and timeintensively, especially images of preadolescent children, have a significantly increased risk of relapse. Those who relapsed tended to be younger, were rarely sexually attracted to adults and consumed qualitatively more extreme CSAI. The article discusses the resulting implications for clinical practice. Zusammenfassung Während und nach Abschluss der Therapie kommt es bei Personen mit sexu el lem Interesse an Kindern zu Rückfällen bei der Nutzung von Missbrauchsabbildungen. Dieses Faktum wird von Instrumenten zur Risikobeurteilung häufig nicht berücksichtigt. So lässt sich mit dem Child Por nography Offender Risk Tool keine Vorhersage zu Rückfällen von nicht justizbekannten Nutzern von Missbrauchsabbildungen treffen. Um ein erhöhtes Rückfallrisiko zu identifizieren und adäquat intervenieren zu können, wurden Daten des Präventionsnetzwerks Kein Täter werden ausgewertet, wobei weitere, während des Erstkontakts erhobene, klinische Risikofaktoren einbezogen wurden. Es zeigt sich: Personen, die besonders häufig und zeitintensiv Missbrauchsabbildungen kon sumieren, insbesondere von vorpubertären Kin dern, haben ein deutlich erhöhtes Rückfallrisiko. Tendenziell waren jene, die rückfällig wurden, jünger, berichteten seltener eine sexuelle An sprechbarkeit auf Erwachsene und konsumierten qualitativ schwerwiegen dere Missbrauchsabbildungen. Daraus resultieren de Impli ka tionen für die klinische Praxis werden dargelegt. Schlüsselwörter: Nutzung von Missbrauchsabbildungen, Rück fäl ligkeit, Pädophilie, Hebephilie
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In this study, we explored survivors' experience with sextortion (threats to expose sexual images to coerce victims to provide additional pictures, sex, or other favors). We conducted in-depth telephone interviews with 48 adults aged 18 to 25 who had been targets of sextortion. Nearly half of participants were minors at the time of the sextortion incident. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, which resulted in four major dimensions. The dimensions identified were the emotional connections between victims and perpetrators, the nature of the threats, societal responses, and integrating the sextortion into their life stories. The findings emphasized the multidimensional nature of this phenomenon. There was a wide range of emotional connections, from brief connections to close intimate relationships or strong friendships. Some threats remained unfulfilled, while other were carried out. Some threats were one-time and some lasted for years. Societal responses were central in participants' narratives, with most participants actually turning to their peers and parents for support. Many expressed thankfulness for the opportunity to tell their story during the interviews. For the majority of participants sextortion was perceived as a central event in their lives, one that changed them forever. Listening to the voices of survivors helps professionals understand these harmful situations.
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This paper focuses on notions of "addiction" among users of online child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) through a comparative analysis of two qualitative studies. The first is a 17-month anthropological ethnography (participant observation, interviews, and focus groups) in UK group programs for CSEM users, and the second is based on interviews with individuals in sexual offense treatment units of a US prison. We thematically analyze the narratives of 103 CSEM users at different timepoints and settings from pre-trial to incarceration. Those citing "addiction" focused on three areas. First was pornography progression. Second were perceived indicators of "addiction" and alignment/analogy to other addictions, including ideas about losing control; ignoring detrimental consequences and continuing; physiological signs similar to withdrawal; likening to substances; and progression from "softer" to "harder" material. Third, less common was rejecting the "addiction" label, citing choice and responsibility. We situate these results within debates and literature regarding pornography and Internet "addiction"; implications of the label; societal conceptions of sexual offending; harms of CSEM; and treatment/prevention considerations. Lastly, highlighting the merit of interdisciplinary comparative qualitative analysis, we demonstrate similarities in narratives despite differences in location, timeframe, setting, conviction status, intervention programming, and research methods.
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Zusammenfassung Es ist eine verbreitete Annahme, dass Pädophilie eine nahezu ausschließlich bei Männern vorkommende Störung der Sexualpräferenz darstellt. In diesem Artikel werden überblicksartig Befunde und Theorien zu Geschlechtsunterschieden bezüglich der Häufigkeit sexueller Fantasien und paraphiler Interessen (insbesondere Pädophilie) sowie zu sexuellem Kindesmissbrauch dargestellt und kritisch diskutiert, auch hinsichtlich forschungsmethodischer Artefakte. Im Anschluss werden drei Fallbeispiele nicht-männlicher Betroffener mit auf Kindern ausgerichteten sexuellen Fantasien aus dem Präventionsnetzwerk Kein Täter werden vorgestellt. Dabei identifizieren sich zwei der Personen als eindeutig weiblich, eine Person ordnet sich als Frau-zu-Mann-Transsexueller ein. Anhand dieser Beispiele werden Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede nicht-männlicher Personen mit pädophilen Fantasien erörtert und Implikationen für die praktische Arbeit mit weiblichen bzw. nicht-männlichen Betroffenen diskutiert. Schlüsselwörter: Pädophilie, Geschlechtsunterschiede, Frauen, Transsexualität, sexuelle Fantasien Abstract It is a widespread assumption that pedophilia is a sexual preference disorder that almost exclusively affects males. In this article, findings and theories on sex/gender differences regarding the frequency of sexual fantasies and paraphilic interests (especially pedophilia) as well as child sexual abuse are outlined and critically discussed, also with regard to artifacts of research methodology. Subsequently, we present three case studies of non-male participants with sexual fantasies directed at children who attended the prevention network. Two of the participants identify themselves as unambiguously female, one participant classifies himself as a female-to-male transsexual. Based on these examples, similarities and differences of non- male persons with pedophilic fantasies are elaborated and implications for practical work with female (or, more broadly, non-male) participants are drawn. Keywords: Pedophilia, Sex differences, Women, Transsexuality, Sexual fantasies https://www.kein-taeter-werden.de/uploads/2021-11-Sexuologie-10-Jahre-Praeventionsnetzwerk-Kein-Taeter-werden.pdf
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Background Sex offenders often use the internet to communicate with children to facilitate in-person sexual abuse or to create and distribute sexual images of children. Mental healthcare providers are a major source of referrals to child welfare authorities and are well-positioned to identify sexual exploitation. Objective This study investigated the perceived ability of mental healthcare workers to recognize and respond to concerns about online and in-person sexual exploitation of their pediatric clients. Participants and setting The authors administered a cross-sectional survey to 209 mental healthcare providers within the public health system of Alberta, Canada. Methods The survey contained four sections related to sexual exploitation: two of which can take place online or in-person (grooming and sexual abuse) and two of which require the internet or a digital device (luring and sexual image distribution). Each section asked whether the mental healthcare provider had experience working with clients affected by these concerns, what barriers they encounter, how confident they are in their abilities and whether they have formal training in a topic. Results The vast majority of participants (83%) worked with a client impacted by grooming, luring, sexual abuse or sexual image distribution in the last year. Participants reported more training, more confidence and fewer barriers when identifying and responding to sexual abuse as compared to grooming, luring or sexual image distribution. Conclusions There is a need to improve mental health providers understanding of how technology is being utilized to exploit children, so that they can respond effectively to protect their clients.
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Combatting child sexual abuse on the internet requires a high level of harmonisation of both substantive and procedural laws, as online child sexual abuse is transnational by default: while the transnational nature of child sexual abuse material used to be the exception before the advent of the internet, it is now the rule. In order to prosecute and investigate online child sexual abuse across country borders, states rely heavily on extraterritorial jurisdiction clauses as well as informal and formal law enforcement collaboration channels. This paper analyses existing channels in the opsc , Budapest Convention and Lanzarote Convention, particularly against the background of the recently published crc Committee Guidelines regarding the implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography ( crc/c /156), and provides for concrete guidance on how to ensure that the best interests of the child in the prosecution and investigation of transnational crimes such as online child sexual abuse is the primary consideration.
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The term ‘pandemic’ (from the ancient Greek ‘pan’ meaning total, comprehensive, all and ‘demos’ meaning people) is one we have all become intimately acquainted with in the past year due to the spread of COVID-19. The term describes a globally widespread disease and is generally understood to refer to infectious diseases. The public’s familiarity with the term in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity to reconceptualise child sexual abuse (CSA) and the use of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in a similar manner. This too is a health issue so prevalent worldwide that it has, arguably, reached the level of a pandemic. https://www.psychology.org.au/for-members/publications/inpsych/2021/August-Special-Issue-3/Child-sexual-abuse-as-a-global-challenge
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The innovation of the Internet and the proliferation of new digital technologies in everyday life have unfortunately created more opportunities for the sexual abuse of children and especially the global distribution of child sexual abuse images online (CSAIO). Most of the current therapeutic interventions being used were designed to treat ‘conventional’ sexual abuse trauma. Victims of CSAIO may experience ongoing trauma because the recordings of their abuse have the potential to be endlessly viewed and shared by those with a sexual interest in children some of whom may be known to them. However, little is known about the potential psychological harm to victims, the extent to which existing trauma treatment modalities are applicable to them, or what modifications of these treatments may be required for effective treatment. This paper explores current ways of understanding the harms done to the victims of CSAIO and presents cautions and recommendations for moving forward.
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Child sexual abuse images online (CSAIO) present new and daunt-ing challenges for practitioners working in the field of child sex-ual abuse (CSA). Current understanding of the phenomenon is severely limited due to a lack of theoretical and empirical research in the area. This article reports findings from a study that examined practitioners' experiences with, and views of, CSAIO. Participants differed in how they conceptualized what constituted online CSA images and held varying degrees of concern regarding the poten-tial effects of CSAIO on the child. Some practitioners were uncertain about whether child victims of CSAIO experience particular effects different from or over and above those caused by conventional (non-Internet related) CSA. A key finding was that most practi-tioners did not have a clear understanding of CSAIO. This article includes recommendations for future research regarding the impli-cations of technology in the field of CSA. KEYWORDS abuse images, child sexual abuse, child pornogra-phy, child sexual abuse images online, cyber abuse, cyber world, sexual exploitation online The ways in which a problem is thought about, and talked about, influ-ence responses to the problem (Witkin, 2012). In clinical practice, problem construction relies on available knowledge and clinical experience, and is influenced by the values and beliefs of society at large (Dunphy, 2000),
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An example of a recurrent issue in communities is the legal system's struggle to process problems of young offenders. The main focus of this article is juvenile suspects of crimes considering child pornography. Two topics are discussed: the nature of these crimes and the characteristics of suspects. An analysis of 159 Dutch police files on child pornography shows that almost a quarter of the suspects are under 24 years of age. Of that group, 35% is younger than 18 years. Often, these are youngsters who take sexualised pictures and/or make videos of themselves and/or each other. If this material is distributed via the Internet it becomes a matter for law enforcement agencies. This conclusion forms the base of the Discussion section of this article. Should law enforcement agencies settle these cases in an informal manner? Or should suspects be prosecuted in order to prevent certain types of child pornography from ceasing to be punishable?
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Most research on child pornography use has been based on selected clinical or criminal justice samples; risk factors for child pornography use in the general population remain largely unexplored. In this study, we examined prevalence, risk factors, and correlates of viewing depictions of adult-child sex in a population-representative sample of 1,978 young Swedish men (17-20 years, Mdn = 18 years, overall response rate, 77 %). In an anonymous, school-based survey, participants self-reported sexual coercion experiences, attitudes and beliefs about sex, perceived peer attitudes, and sexual interests and behaviors; including pornography use, sexual interest in children, and sexually coercive behavior. A total of 84 (4.2 %) young men reported they had ever viewed child pornography. Most theory-based variables were moderately and significantly associated with child pornography viewing and were consistent with models of sexual offending implicating both antisociality and sexual deviance. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, 7 of 15 tested factors independently predicted child pornography viewing and explained 42 % of the variance: ever had sex with a male, likely to have sex with a child aged 12-14, likely to have sex with a child 12 or less, perception of children as seductive, having friends who have watched child pornography, frequent pornography use, and ever viewed violent pornography. From these, a 6-item Child Pornography Correlates Scale was constructed and then cross-validated in a similar but independent Norwegian sample.
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We used data gathered via investigative "RoundUp" software to measure a year of online child pornography (CP) trafficking activity by U.S. computers on the Gnutella peer-to-peer network. The data include millions of observations of Internet Protocol addresses sharing known CP files, identified as such in previous law enforcement investigations. We found that 244,920 U.S. computers shared 120,418 unique known CP files on Gnutella during the study year. More than 80% of these computers shared fewer than 10 such files during the study year or shared files for fewer than 10 days. However, less than 1% of computers (n=915) made high annual contributions to the number of known CP files available on the network (100 or more files). If law enforcement arrested the operators of these high-contribution computers and took their files offline, the number of distinct known CP files available in the P2P network could be reduced by as much as 30%. Our findings indicate widespread low level CP trafficking by U.S. computers in one peer-to-peer network, while a small percentage of computers made high contributions to the problem. However, our measures were not comprehensive and should be considered lower bounds estimates. Nonetheless, our findings show that data can be systematically gathered and analyzed to develop an empirical grasp of the scope and characteristics of CP trafficking on peer-to-peer networks. Such measurements can be used to combat the problem. Further, investigative software tools can be used strategically to help law enforcement prioritize investigations.
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Cyberspace has added a new dimension to the ecology of children made the subjects of sexual abuse images distributed online. These images cannot be permanently removed and can continue to circulate in cyberspace forever. A review of the current literature suggests that helping professionals are not consistently aware of or do not probe possibilities of online sexual victimization in the investigation, assessment, and treatment of child sexual abuse. Nor is this issue adequately addressed in their education and training. There are gaps in the literature regarding how to identify and provide treatment for these children. New assessment and treatment targets are needed to enhance existing practice approaches. A contemporary ecological model that incorporates an explicit consideration of the cybersystem is provided as a starting point for practitioners to be aware of the possibility that images of child sexual abuse were recorded and distributed online.
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Thematic analysis is a poorly demarcated, rarely acknowledged, yet widely used qualitative analytic method within psychology. In this paper, we argue that it offers an accessible and theoretically flexible approach to analysing qualitative data. We outline what thematic analysis is, locating it in relation to other qualitative analytic methods that search for themes or patterns, and in relation to different epistemological and ontological positions. We then provide clear guidelines to those wanting to start thematic analysis, or conduct it in a more deliberate and rigorous way, and consider potential pitfalls in conducting thematic analysis. Finally, we outline the disadvantages and advantages of thematic analysis. We conclude by advocating thematic analysis as a useful and flexible method for qualitative research in and beyond psychology.
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The online distribution of abusive images has risen dramatically over recent years and this raises many questions concerning the children within the images, particularly in relation to identification and provision of services. From October 2004 until September 2007, Innocence in Danger e.V. conducted an empirical study concerning the care and treatment of victims of child pornographic exploitation (CPE) in Germany by contacting all specialized institutions nationwide dealing with sexually abused children. This was achieved through questionnaires and interviews. A total of 245 cases of child pornographic exploitation (197 girls, 48 boys) and 280 suspected cases of child pornographic exploitation were identified. It was reported that cases of CPE were of a higher complexity than offline abuse, more demanding for professionals and raised many questions about professional involvement. Identified challenges included the issue of permanence once abusive images have been distributed online, and the coping strategies of children which might foster resilience. The study concludes that even though child pornographic exploitation is much talked about, there is still a lack of knowledge in how to identify, approach and help such children.
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Recent years have seen a significant increase in the criminal penalties associated with possession of child pornography. The new severity appears to be premised on arguments that blur the distinction between those who possess images of child pornography and those who sexually abuse children. In particular, sentences have been increased based on arguments that possession of pornography is equivalent to or worse than child sex abuse, arguments that viewing child pornography increases the risk that an individual will sexually abuse a child, and arguments that those who possess child pornography are abusing children undetected. This Article identifies instances where possession of child pornography and child sex abuse have been conflated, critically evaluates the arguments that promote such conflation, and identifies independent concerns with conflation. Specifically, it argues that blurring the distinction between the two crimes allows us to continue to misperceive child sex abuse as a stranger-danger issue, and that when law enforcement statistics aggregate possession and child sex abuse, then the public may be misled into believing that law enforcement is successfully battling child sex abuse, when that is not the case. The Article concludes that the modern trend of increasing sentences for possession of child pornography ought to be reviewed, and it suggests several possible areas of reform.
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This article describes trends in child pornography (CP) possession cases that ended in arrest in 2000 and in 2006, using data from the National Juvenile Online Victimization Study, a two-wave longitudinal survey of a national sample of more than 2,500 U.S. law enforcement agencies. In 2006, there were an estimated 3,672 arrests for CP possession, compared with 1,713 arrests in 2000. Many characteristics of the offenders and the offense remained stable. In both 2006 and 2000, most offenders were White, non-Hispanic males and socioeconomically diverse. Few were known to have committed previous sex crimes. Most had CP that depicted preteen children and serious sexual abuse. In 2006, however, a higher proportion of offenders were aged 18 to 25 years, used peer-to-peer (p2p) networks, had images of children younger than 3 years, and had CP videos. P2p users had more extreme images (e.g., younger victims, sexual violence) and larger numbers of images than those who did not use p2p networks. Findings reflect heightened efforts in the criminal justice system to combat CP crimes. More cases originated with investigations of CP possession and involved proactive investigations aimed at detecting CP. The great majority of cases were successfully prosecuted, with more offenders sentenced to incarceration and serving longer sentences than in 2000. As in 2000, one in six cases that began with investigations of CP possession detected offenders who had molested children.
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Despite an increase in research on child abuse images and sex offender risk, we still lack specific data about the characteristics of the children found within these images. Such data would assist us with understanding the exploitation of children through abusive images and the choice of images by offenders. We accessed sexualized child images submitted to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) in the United Kingdom. In 1998, CEOP developed a database (ChildBase) of child abuse images gathered from police seizures across the United Kingdom. This database is continually updated and is operationally used to identify victims. We randomly selected 10% of the 247,950 images, submitted during 2005-2009, and sorted them into the following categories: gender, age, and ethnic group (White, Asian, Black, and Hispanic/Latino). Codes (n = 24,550) were analyzed using frequencies and cross-tabulations in relation to gender, age, and racial group. The odds of the abuse images being female versus male were about 4 to 1, and the odds of the images being of White children versus non-White children were about 10 to 1 (9.805). There was a significant gender difference in age distribution of all the children within the images. The limitations of this study are also discussed along with possible implications and recommendations for future research.
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Studies conducted internationally confirm that child sexual abuse is a much more widespread problem than previously thought, with even the lowest prevalence rates including a large number of victims that need to be taken into account. To carry out a meta-analysis of the prevalence of child sexual abuse in order to establish an overall international figure. Studies were retrieved from various electronic databases. The measure of interest was the prevalence of abuse reported in each article, these values being combined via a random effects model. A detailed analysis was conducted of the effects of various moderator variables. Sixty-five articles covering 22 countries were included. The analysis showed that 7.9% of men (7.4% without outliers) and 19.7% of women (19.2% without outliers) had suffered some form of sexual abuse prior to the age of eighteen. The results of the present meta-analysis indicate that child sexual abuse is a serious problem in the countries analysed.
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The authors describe obstacles to children's disclosure of their sexual abuse experiences. Ten children's descriptions of 102 incidents of sexual abuse and the process of disclosing these incidents during police interviews were studied. Children's self-reports of the abuse were compared to videotapes of the incidents made by the lone perpetrator. There was a significant tendency among the children to deny or belittle their experiences. Some children simply did not want to disclose their experiences, some had difficulties remembering them, and one child lacked adequate concepts to understand and describe them. Failure by children to disclose their experiences of sexual abuse might have diverse explanations. Professionals will most likely never be able to identify all cases of sexual abuse on the basis of children's narratives.
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This study investigated whether being charged with a child pornography offense is a valid diagnostic indicator of pedophilia, as represented by an index of phallometrically assessed sexual arousal to children. The sample of 685 male patients was referred between 1995 and 2004 for a sexological assessment of their sexual interests and behavior. As a group, child pornography offenders showed greater sexual arousal to children than to adults and differed from groups of sex offenders against children, sex offenders against adults, and general sexology patients. The results suggest child pornography offending is a stronger diagnostic indicator of pedophilia than is sexually offending against child victims. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
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The aim of this exploratory study was to compare internet sex offenders with a matched group of child molesters in the Greater London Area. Over an 8-month period 210 subjects were assessed, of whom 90 were internet sex offenders and 120 were child molesters. A wide range of background data was collected, including a number of psychometric measures to determine risk and personality traits. The research identified a number of similarities between internet sex offenders and child molesters on background variables. Specifically, in comparison to the child molesters, the internet offenders reported more psychological difficulties in adulthood and fewer prior sexual convictions. The socio-affective characteristics of internet offenders and child molesters look similar, but the antisocial variables, such as, 'acting out' and breaking social rules underlines their difference. The follow up research was carried out after a short period of time at risk-averaging 18 months-but suggested that internet sex offenders were significantly less likely to fail in the community than child molesters in terms of all types of recidivism.
Article
The aim of this exploratory study was to compare internet sex offenders with a matched group of child molesters in the Greater London Area. Over an 8-month period 210 subjects were assessed, of whom 90 were internet sex offenders and 120 were child molesters. A wide range of background data was collected, including a number of psychometric measures to determine risk and personality traits. The research identified a number of similarities between internet sex offenders and child molesters on background variables. Specifically, in comparison to the child molesters, the internet offenders reported more psychological difficulties in adulthood and fewer prior sexual convictions. The socio-affective characteristics of internet offenders and child molesters look similar, but the antisocial variables, such as, 'acting out' and breaking social rules underlines their difference. The follow up research was carried out after a short period of time at risk—averaging 18 months—but suggested that internet sex offenders were significantly less likely to fail in the community than child molesters in terms of all types of recidivism.
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The phenomenon of child sexual abuse images online (CSAIO) presents new and daunting challenges for social workers who work in the field of child sexual abuse (CSA), particularly in relation to assessment and treatment approaches. This paper reports on a grounded theory study that examined the views of CSA practitioners about online abuse images. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with fourteen social work practitioners and other helping professionals in child protection and CSA treatment services from Ontario, Canada, to explore their perspectives about effective assessment and treatment for the children in the online images. All participants felt inadequately prepared in terms of their training and experience to effectively respond to these children, particularly regarding the perceived permanence of the abuse images distributed online and their global accessibility. Implications for social work training and practice are provided and the paper concludes with a call for the recognition of CSAIO as a new area in social work practice requiring additional research and specialised training.
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The trauma of being a victim of sexual abuse is very difficult to live with, but for victims of internet offending there are added complexities for him/her in trying to make sense of what has happened. They are often “directed” by the offender to perform sexual acts on themselves and/or others, which creates huge confusion for the victim in terms of even using the common language of perpetrator/offender because of the victim needing to make sense of the fact that they touched themselves and/or others in many incidents and, for them, does this make them the perpetrator? The perpetrator role of being the “director” needs to be explored with the victim in the very layers of what this means as opposed to the perpetrator doing the touching, but also needs to be considered in treatment programmes when often internet offenders debate the “I didn't touch her/him”. This paper will explore the complexities as a therapist working with victims of internet abuse as well as the impact of this on assessment and treatment of internet offenders.
Book
How can we understand offending and victimisation processes in relation to abuse images and the Internet? This book offers the reader unique and deep insights into innovative ways of thinking about this challenging problem. The chapter authors are amongst the foremost researchers and practitioners in this field. In an area that often attracts unthinking and uncritical media comment, it is important to develop both empirical knowledge and conceptual understanding of the problems presented by abuse images and the Internet. From different perspectives, the chapters in this book provide the foundations for systematic and critical development of knowledge and understanding, and represent a major step forward in understanding of the problems that face us. Within the broader context of child sexual exploitation, the chapters effectively address four important areas of concern: the empirical evidence; legal and law enforcement provision; conceptual and practical understanding of the offending process and the management of offenders; and, victim issues. How are programmes to be developed to address the needs of the offenders? Are they the same as other forms of sex offender, or do they justify the development of different therapeutic interventions? Are we sufficiently addressing preventative measures, rather than responding to events as they arise? How do we reduce and control the quantity of abuse images available, without losing the positive qualities of the Internet? These are just some of the questions explored by the expert contributors from a wide range of disciplines; they report on new research that challenges our understanding, both by comparing it to existing knowledge about offending activity and by broadening the debate to consider its relevance to different age groups and different contexts. For anyone involved in therapy or management of Internet child pornography offenders and victims, this important book will develop professional knowledge and practice, and extend thinking in new directions.
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This article examines legal and social discourses surrounding the phenomenon of child pornography, considering the legal responses to child pornography (particularly when an individual is found to be in possession of such material), and the way in which such material, the child, and the possessor of child pornography are socially constructed. The article raises the question of whether there has been a moral panic regarding child pornography and the possession of such material, but also considers whether there are real reasons to consider that the possession of child pornography should remain illegal. Research studies which aim to establish the existence of a causal link between possessing child pornography and the act of committing child sexual abuse are examined, as is the argument that criminalizing the possession of child pornography reduces the market for such material. Finally, there is an analysis of the possible impact of social constructions of the child as innocent.
Article
This study compared two groups of child pornography offenders participating in a voluntary treatment program: men whose known sexual offense history at the time of judicial sentencing involved the possession, receipt, or distribution of child abuse images, but did not include any “hands-on” sexual abuse; and men convicted of similar offenses who had documented histories of hands-on sexual offending against at least one child victim. The goal was to determine whether the former group of offenders were “merely” collectors of child pornography at little risk for engaging in hands-on sexual offenses, or if they were contact sex offenders whose criminal sexual behavior involving children, with the exception of Internet crimes, went undetected. Our findings show that the Internet offenders in our sample were significantly more likely than not to have sexually abused a child via a hands-on act. They also indicate that the offenders who abused children were likely to have offended against multiple victims, and that the incidence of “crossover” by gender and age is high.
Article
The goal of this investigation was to examine similarities and differences in childhood sexual abuse (CSA) characteristics between men and women survivors in outpatient psychotherapy utilizing a substantial sample size of men, while examining an extensive range of abuse characteristics. Abuse characteristics of 48 men from an outpatient treatment program for adult survivors of CSA in a university-based community mental health center were compared with those of 257 women from the same program. Data on abuse history were collected at admission or as soon thereafter as possible using a structured clinical interview with established reliability. Women were significantly more likely to have been sexually abused by a family member. Men were significantly more likely to report having oral sex performed upon them. Otherwise, no significant gender differences not attributable to anatomical differences (e.g., vaginal vs. anal intercourse) were found. The findings suggest that very few differences exist in the nature and extent of CSA reported by men and women. Thus CSA perpetrated on boys appears largely comparable in nature and extent to that committed against girls.
Article
This paper reports on the first national survey of adults concerning a history of childhood sexual abuse. Victimization was reported by 27% of the women and 16% of the men. Higher rates of abuse were found among men who grew up in unhappy families, lived for some period with only their mothers, who were currently residing in the West and who came from English or Scandinavian heritage. Higher rates of abuse were found among women who grew up in unhappy families, lived for some period without one of their natural parents, received inadequate sex education, were currently residing in the West or who were born after 1925.
Article
Children who have been sexually abused by a ring of adults present in a way that may confuse and mislead practitioners familiar only with single-offender sexual abuse. Understanding the similarities and differences between single- and multiple-offender sexual abuse is essential in determining the validity of a child's disclosure as well as in carrying out an appropriate treatment plan. Addressing the denial and resistance within the child welfare system in relation to child sexual exploitation by a ring is crucial to a practitioner's effectiveness. Finally, developing a therapeutic parent-child relationship is critical to the families who must live with their child's experience.
Article
Children have been sexually exploited throughout recorded history. The invention of the camera and subsequent related technological advances (slides, movies, instant picture cameras and videotape) have provided new avenues for the exploitation of children by facilitating the distribution of pictorial representations of these children on a world-wide basis. A major use of commercial child pornography is to convince a potential child victim that the sexual acts desired by the adult offender are fun, exciting, can satisfy the child's curiosity and are a societally acceptable means of expressing affection. Commercial child pornography publications contain numerous pictures of children viewing child pornography, in some cases replicating the pose(s) depicted in the viewed material. Although many jurisdictions have now prohibited child pornography, the need for a world-wide ban continues, as the remaining producers distribute their material throughout the world.
Article
Self-disclosure by victims of child sexual abuse (CSA) is critical to initiate legal and therapeutic intervention. Unfortunately, research indicates that lengthy delays in disclosure and even nondisclosure are common. A comprehensive review of the clinical and research literature on CSA and an overview of related bodies of literature was conducted. Areas addressed include the context of sexual abuse as it relates to disclosure, the context and elements of children's disclosures, motivational factors inhibiting disclosure, and models of the disclosure process. Ancillary and analogue research on secrecy and disclosure are also reviewed. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Article
This research examines the understudied issue of gender differences in disclosure, social reactions, post-abuse coping, and PTSD of adult survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA). Data were collected on a cross-sectional convenience sample of 733 college students completing a confidential survey about their demographic characteristics, sexual abuse experiences, disclosure characteristics, post-abuse coping, and social reactions from others. Female students reported greater prevalence and severity of CSA, more distress and self-blame immediately post-assault, and greater reliance on coping strategies of withdrawal and trying to forget than male students. Women were more likely to have disclosed their abuse to others, to have received positive reactions, and to report greater PTSD symptom severity, but were no more likely to receive negative reactions upon disclosure than men. Women delaying disclosure had greater PTSD symptom severity, whereas men's symptoms did not vary by timing of disclosure. Additional regression analyses examined predictors of PTSD symptom severity and negative and positive social reactions to abuse disclosures. Several gender differences were observed in this sample of college students in terms of sexual abuse experiences, psychological symptoms, coping, PTSD, and some aspects of disclosure and social reactions from others.
Stamping out icons: A legal analysis on how to legislate against virtual child pornography without trampling over the first amendment
  • Baker
Baker, P. T. (2007). Stamping out icons: A legal analysis on how to legislate against virtual child pornography without trampling over the first amendment. Hinckley Journal of Politics, 8, 59-67.
Trends in arrests for child pornography production: The third national juvenile online victimization study (NJOV-3)
  • J Wolak
  • D Finkelhor
  • K J Mitchell
Wolak, J., Finkelhor, D., & Mitchell, K. J. (2012). Trends in arrests for child pornography production: The third national juvenile online victimization study (NJOV-3). Retrieved October 3, 2017, fromhttp://scholars.unh.edu/ccrc.
Behind the screen: Children who are subject of abusive images
  • Palmer