Parents must make themselves aware of the, literally, thousands of child porn ‘chat rooms’ on the internet. These chat rooms are subdivided into subgroups for children of different ethnic groups, physical attributes and age groups.
Pornographic Predators are some of the most dangerous predators on the Internet. They can be separated into a number of different categories and we will look at a few of them here.
- Collectors – This group is made up of basically, entry level offenders and they start by collecting photographs of children. They may not have had any illegal contact with children or prior involvement with law enforcement. Sadly, if it were not for the internet many of these offenders would not have become involved in Child Pornography as they believe that it is an anonymous medium through which they can safely access the private lives of children. They would start by collecting photographs of children from the internet and then escalate their brazenness to Webcam photos and online Videos. Collectors normally fall in the age group 13-30 years.
There are 4 types of Collectors:
1. Closet Collectors – they buy pictures of naked children but do not molest or interact with children. They are inactive Pedophiles.
2. Isolated Collectors – they actively molest their victims and keep a record of their own Child Pornography.
3. Cottage Collectors – they keep their Child Porn and share and swap it with other Pedophiles (without financial gain)
4. Commercial Collectors – they sell their child Pornography and often kidnap their victims and once they have used them for Child Pornography, murder them.
- Travellers – This group is exactly what the name suggests; they will travel to complete their rendezvous once they have identified a victim and secured a venue. They will coerce a child to meet for the purpose of sex. They will travel incredible distances to consummate their relationships. Travellers are extremely skilful in gaining a child’s trust. Part of their “grooming” tactics is to chat about the child’s interests, concerns and feigning sympathy over any of their difficulties they are experiencing at home or at school. Once and they have gained the child’s confidence they will start giving them gifts and eventually they will be given cameras and webcams to photograph and record themselves for transmission over the net. They will also send the child travel money, whether it be bus, train or plane fare to facilitate them running away to their new “friend”. Travellers fall into the age group 17-56, the majority however are between 17 and 35.
- Manufacturers – Video-tapes and CD-ROMs are manufactured and distributed by this group of morality deprived predators. Many manufacturers are sexually involved with children and often use their victims as subjects for their end product. Manufacturers are likely to harbor runaways and, orphans and street children, making it easy to manipulate them into performing lewd acts for the camera. These ‘people’ usually have the latest and best of video equipment. Many collectors try their hand at manufacturing; it is therefore safe to say that not all collectors are manufacturers, but all manufacturers are collectors. The internet explosion has had an impact on curtailing the sale of pornographic material as there is a great deal of material available for free. Parents must be particularly aware of what the children pay for on the internet as the Porn sites use the same payment methods as legitimate market sites. Manufacturers fit into the age group 26 to 53.
- Chatters – This is the smallest group of pornography predators. They can be found on chat rooms where they pose as mentors to children whilst grooming them Erotalalia (phone sex). They will mentor the child and surreptitiously guide the innocent mentoring towards conversations of sex.
There is a big difference between Nudity, Erotica and Pornography where Pornography is defined as “the display of erect genitalia, sexual intercourse, oral sex and digital stimulation, depicted through drawings, stills photography or electronically”.
Pornography can be divided into three categories:
1. Self-made by Minors - this is when teenagers film themselves having sex or displaying other acts of pornography as described above. They can make use of Cell phones, Video cameras, Camcorders and digital cameras, all of which can be broadcasted on the internet.
2. Commercial – this when Professional individuals or companies produce DVD’s to be broadcast on the internet as well as circulated via cell phones. The Film and Publications Act 2004 states; A person must be over the age of 18 to,
a) View Pornography
b) Participate in Pornography
c) Distribute Pornography
d) Sell Pornography
d) Be employed in an environment where Pornography is sold
3. Self Made (Voluntary) – This is when amateurs make Home sexual movies and capture sexual acts in photographs.
If a person under 18 films themselves having intercourse, they will be charged under the Sexual Offenses Amendments Act and they will be charged with Statutory rape and Production of Child Pornography.
A child over the age of 10 has a criminal capacity and WILL BE PROSECUTED.
Children under 12 do not understand what they are looking at and will re-enact what they have seen. Severe psychological damage can be caused at this age. Pornography challenges a teenager’s base values and they will feel inadequate about their own bodies. The effect will cause them to explore and progress to more severe forms of pornography. This in turn could lead to Porn Addiction.
Pornography perpetrators are not type specific and could be the long-standing, life of the party, neighbor, the generous aunt or the minister. Whatever form they come in and whatever form of pornography they advocate will have an impact and sometimes very serious consequences on the children. It could shape their sexual orientation especially since they have had no other sexual experiences and could view the porn content as being the norm.
Parents must be aware of what their children are viewing and who they are talking to on the internet in order to safeguard the children. It is part of the responsibility of any parent to provide a safe environment for their children.
