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THE fifth estate: Landslide
child porn laws and sexual abuse > Printer
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November 5th, 2003
PORNOGRAPHY IS LINKED TO ABUSE
Various studies have shown that between 35 - 50% of child porn collectors
have a history of abusing children.
In the last three years 44% of the people arrested in Toronto for possessing
child pornography have also been charged with or convicted of sexually
abusing children. "Everybody we arrest says 'I don't do anything
other than look. I would never abuse. I just do it for my own personal
pleasure.' Well, I know that almost 50% of those people lie," says
Detective Sgt. Paul Gillespie.
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When the Landslide investigation broke in the U.S. in 1999
(see more), Texas prosecutor Terri Moore was anxious
to find exactly who was buying the pornography. "The Holy Grail on
the case was to get the list of subscribers that were buying this...because
these are the people that could actually be paedophiles."
USING PHOTOS TO MANIPULATE CHILDREN
According to studies done by the COPINE Project in Ireland, the easy availability
of child porn on the internet can fuel a paedophile's fantasies. It can
also be used to start the cycle of abuse.
Their research shows that paedophiles will often manipulate young children
by showing them pictures on the internet. It's a way to make them believe
that sex with adults is acceptable. They'll also use the photographs to
teach the children to do what they want. And finally they may use the
images to blackmail victims for their silence.
THE PHOTO AS A CRIME SCENE
Detective constable Sue Burke says although it's difficult to look at
all those disturbing pictures, there can be a payoff. "You know what?
It's worth it when you find one of those kids. And that's the main focus.
We've got to find those kids."
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Out of the thousands of victimized children on the internet less than 500 worldwide have been identified so far.
THE
INTERNET AND CHILD PORN
Child porn sites and newsgroups offer ways to network with other offenders
who often swap messages with each other. Some people offer their own children
to other paedophiles or post details about the children they have already
abused.
On-line chat groups are also an easy way to connect with children for
sex. According to a study by Microsoft, 80% of children have computers
in their home and 25% of them had already been invited to meet a stranger
that they'd chatted with on-line.
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Paul Krawczyk, a Toronto detective constable, has been specially
trained by the FBI to catch paedophiles at their own game. For instance
in one case he assumed the identity of 13 year-old girl in a chat room.
When the exchange with an adult man grew provocative and moved in the
direction of sex, he agreed to meet his 'date' in a pre-determined location.
Instead of a 13 year-old girl, the man - a married professional with children
of his own - found himself arrested by a squad of police.
the fifth estate:
Landslide
child porn on the internet -
porn laws in Canada - child
porn and sexual abuse
the landslide case - profile
of a pornographer - resources
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