As technology advances, so do the risks posed to children in the digital world. Internet crimes against children, including child pornography and exploitation, continue to be a pressing concern. This blog post aims to provide valuable insights to both police officers and parents on understanding and combating these crimes. We will explore the definitions of child pornography and child erotica, discuss how investigators become involved in child sexual exploitation cases, examine the types of pornography offenders seek, and offer strategies for parents to protect their children from online predators.
Child Pornography and Child Erotica:
The preferential terminology used for both “child pornography and child erotica” today in the professional context is “Child Sexual Abuse Material”. The professional community has switched to this CSAM terminology because “child pornography” and “child erotica” carries with it the insinuation that children are somehow complicit or compliant in the creation of this exploitative material. However, the laws within the United States, both federally and at the state-level, still often carry legal definitions for certain materials as “child pornography”, “child erotica”, or “lewd and lascivious images of children”.
Child pornography refers to visual depictions that sexually exploit children. These explicit images or videos involve minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Sometimes these visual depictions involve adults engaging in sexual contact with children, children engaging in sexual contact with other children, or children engaging in explicit sexual behavior (such as masturbation) by themselves. On the other hand, child erotica refers to visual material that may not necessarily involve explicit sexual conduct or even nude images of children, but still by the virtue of the nature of the images, and within the specific collection of the offender, the visual material sexualizes children or acts as a sexual stimulant in that offender. While child erotica may not be criminal, it still contributes to the exploitation and objectification of children.
For example, if an offender has a proclivity for sexual images of children, but also enjoys “adult-baby diaper-lover” fetishes, it would be commonly seen for that offender to have in their pornography collection, images of toddlers wearing only a diaper. In this scenario, the image itself is not criminal. And in different contexts, the image would certainly not be classified as child erotica. However, in this context, the offender is using that image in conjunction with a deeper, sexualized agenda. This, by the virtue of the image’s intended use (as masturbatory material), makes the image “child erotica” within the context.
Investigator Involvement in Child Sexual Exploitation Cases:
Investigators often encounter child sexual exploitation cases through various means. These may include tips from concerned individuals, reports from internet service providers (ISPs), undercover online operations, or even investigations stemming from other criminal cases. Detectives play a crucial role in identifying and apprehending offenders who seek to exploit children for their own gratification.
There are several ideas here that investigators must consider. If the tip came in from an internet service provider, detectives should ensure that legal process is sent to the ISP quickly to gain as much data as possible regarding the source of that information and details surrounding the exploitation. This will allow detectives the ability to have actionable intelligence quickly to protect children and bring an offender to justice.
Sometimes during the course of another investigation, detectives may discover that online sexual exploitation of children or child sexual abuse material may be possessed by another person. Detectives should work quickly to seize that evidence in a manner that will be supported legally, and determine if there are any children that can be identified from those materials. It is often the case that children depicted in those CSAM images and videos are also being victimized by sexual contact offenses with an adult offender. In these cases, ICAC Detectives and SVU Detectives should work together to provide their own unique investigative experiences to the table for the benefit of the victims and to ensure that the offender is brought to justice.
Types of Pornography and Erotic Images Offenders Seek:
Child sexual exploitation offenders seek a range of explicit material involving minors. This includes child pornography but extends to non-criminal types of pornography and erotic images as well. Offenders may collect, create, or seek out various forms of explicit content, including adult pornography, explicit drawings or animations (hentai), or even seemingly innocent images that can be manipulated or used for grooming purposes. It is important to recognize that even seemingly harmless images can be misused by offenders, emphasizing the need for vigilance and awareness. It is also important to recognize that there are certain patterns and types of pornography that will be clustered together within these collections that allow the investigators the opportunity to classify the materials in a way that is connected to the offending behaviors.
For example, if an adult offender is sexually abusing his adolescent step-daughter, it would be common to see that the offender has, in his pornography collection, some of the following:
Images or video of his step-daughter (the victim) that are not explicit, but concerning
Images or video of pornography depicting “step-dad and step-daughter” sexual contact
Pornographic images or video of “barely-legal teens” or “small teens” or “petite teens”
Pornographic images or video that would be classified as “hentai” or “anime”
Pornographic images or video of “cheerleaders” or “school-girls”
Pornographic images or video that depict authority figures sexually subjugating vulnerable girls or women
You can easily see here that a “theme” has developed within the pornographic and image collection of this offender that supports and fuels his fantasy directed towards the sexual abuse of his adolescent step-daughter.
Strategies for Parents to Protect Their Kids:
Protecting children from online predators requires proactive measures and open communication. Here are some strategies for parents to safeguard their children:
Open Dialogue: Establish a safe and open environment for discussing online activities and potential risks. Encourage your child to share any concerns or uncomfortable experiences they may encounter while using the internet.
Digital Literacy: Educate your child about online safety, privacy settings, and responsible internet use. Teach them to recognize and avoid sharing personal information or engaging with suspicious individuals or websites.
Parental Controls and Monitoring: Utilize parental control software and enable age-appropriate restrictions on devices and internet access. Regularly monitor your child's online activities and maintain open lines of communication regarding their online experiences.
Privacy Settings and Social Media Awareness: Guide your child on the importance of privacy settings on social media platforms. Teach them to be cautious when sharing personal information or images online, emphasizing the permanence and potential misuse of digital content.
Online Friendships and Reporting: Teach your child to be selective when accepting friend requests or engaging with strangers online. Encourage them to report any suspicious or inappropriate behavior to a trusted adult or authority figure.
Building Trust and Healthy Boundaries: Foster a trusting relationship with your child, ensuring they feel comfortable approaching you with concerns or incidents they may encounter online. Help them establish healthy boundaries and encourage critical thinking and skepticism when interacting with others online.
Internet crimes against children pose significant risks, and it is crucial for both police officers and parents to be informed and proactive in protecting children from exploitation. By understanding the dynamics surrounding child pornography and child erotica, by recognizing the ways investigators become involved in cases and secure evidence, and by being aware of the types of pornography and non-pornographic images offenders seek, both parents and professionals can implement strategies to protect children and work towards a safer online environment for our children.