I thought Priests were 100% pure and totally free of sin. Are these just a few bad eggs?
Perhaps that is why they chose that profession…Perfect guise for predators.
It has been rumoured that my father in law abused his step-daughter and step-son. One of these accusations came from the step-daughter some 30 years later. She is not the kind to start drama. The step-son committed suicide some 20 years ago.
We have not said anything about this to the father/father in law but we have stopped contact with him. He still contacts us but does not know why we do not contact him back.
I want my partner to confront him about this, I am very angry at him and I do not want him in my daughter’s life if he is a child sex abuser.
The question is- how do we know who is telling the truth? If he says it is all rubbish because his ex-family hate him, what are we supposed to do or think?
He seems like a gentle man, although Ive heard this was not always the case. This is really confusing. He is coming to drop something off for his granddaughter’s (my daughter’s) 1st birthday tomorrow night. Should we confront him? The sister-in-law could not be bothered going through the court system. That is fair enough considering she has had the past 30 years to think about it, plus has just had a baby herself.
he left when my partner was only 1. Apparently he abused them before he left. The mother had suspected something but never said anything to the sister until after the sister come out with it. The mother told me she suspected he abused them before the sister came out with it. My partner is confused because he had nothing to do with him for 25 years, the dad never bothered to contact him, etc. I am wondering if this was so maybe because he felt guilty.
Of course if you confront the Dad he will only deny it. Why would the sister lie about something like that at her age now? If the Dad never contacted his son for 25 years there must have been some reason and that will make a real good story? You are more that likely right about the guilt part. Please make sure he is NEVER ALONE WITH YOUR CHILD. These kind of people never change. They are good at hiding what they realy are, be very carefull around him. Keep a can of Wasp spay around slose by it is better than Mace spray, it has longer reach and just as effective, if you need something like that and it will not effect you as bad. Just for safty. He would think nothing of wasp spray. Good Luck.
If the case was about sexual abuse, do you think you’d have more sympathy for the female victim if her attorney was a man or a woman?
It depends on who presented the best evidence and how well they did it.
If you’re a husband who is seeing signs and signals that indicate your wife may file for divorce, there are some important things you should be aware of.
First of all, DO NOT move out of YOUR house. DO NOT go stay with someone else for a while. DO NOT relinquish control of YOUR possessions in any way.
If your wife suggests that the two of you “take a break” and “spend some time apart”, then directly and firmly let her know that SHE certainly has the right to go stay somewhere else but that you are NOT leaving your house.
Of course, it sometimes happens that a woman will have the locks changed on the house while her husband is away but more often than not, if a man tells his wife that if anyone is leaving it will be her, then, she’ll be the one who does the leaving.
Now, this is important for a number of reasons…
One, when a man leaves, it gives a woman extra space and freedom to initiate the divorce. For whatever reason, it seems to be easier for a woman to file for divorce when she’s separated from her husband.
Two, it sets the foundation for the woman to get custody of any children by default. If you care about your children at all, this is very important.
Three, lawyers can and WILL distort anything and everything you’ve ever said or done â which means if you try to be the nice guy and leave your house to give your wife her “space” until things get “worked out”, and things take a turn for the worse instead of for the better, then don’t be surprised if in court your separation gets morphed into something like, “This horrible abuser ABANDONED his family and left them to fend for themselves.”
Now, before you start thinking to yourself that I’m some amazingly negative person with major issues and a huge chip on his shoulder, please understand that I’m merely relating facts based on what happens to thousands of men every day.
In fact, before I continue on, let me inform you that every day, false charges are filed by women against the husband they are divorcing â simply to gain the upper hand on him in the divorce and/or custody proceedings. And, these false charges are usually of a very serious nature â ranging from “alleged” physical abuse to outright claims of sexual abuse â often resulting in the woman gaining a protective order which blocks the husband from all access to his children and possessions.
Ok, let’s continue… The second thing you should know is that if your wife files for divorce, EXPECT her to become vicious in all sorts of ways you would have never dreamed of â ways that hurt you and cost you. I’ll give you two common examples.
One, it’s typical for husbands to want JOINT custody of the children. In other words, they want their children to have equal access to both their father and their mother. And, that seems like a reasonable sort of arrangement, don’t you think?
Well, court records PROVE that with very, very few exceptions, women seek SOLE custody of the children â and specifically, they mostly seek an arrangement where children have as little access or contact with their father as possible.
Two, in the context of a divorce, it’s typical for husbands to want a fair and equitable distribution of the property. Again, that seems like the fair thing to do, wouldn’t you agree?
But again, court records PROVE that with very few exceptions, women seek to get ALL of the major possessions of worth or value. It seems that women rationalize to themselves that their husband has some unfair advantage such that she needs EVERYTHING to continue on and he needs NOTHING because he can easily go make a new start.
The third thing you should know is that it’s certainly appropriate to want to work things out between you and your wife. By all means, let her know that you would PREFER to work things out with her…that you’d PREFER to make a fresh start where you do a better job of meeting her needs and equally as important, where she does a better job of meeting your needs too.
She may or may not accept your INVITATION.
If she doesn’t, LET her be an individual who is free to make her own choices and who is free to pursue whatever paths in life she chooses to pursue â even if that means one without you.
DO NOT supplicate. DO NOT beg. DO NOT pester her with “tracking” calls any time the two of you are apart. DO NOT stalk or spy. DO NOT project insecurity and paranoia. Be a man. Respect yourself. You’re a survivor and a winner. You WILL be ok with or without this PARTICULAR woman.
If your wife chooses to move on without you, there are plenty of quality women in this world who would be EAGER to join paths with you.
Of course, you don’t want to go overboard with this such that your wife thinks you don’t have any interest in her. That obviously wouldn’t help improve your marriage.
On the other hand, if she does accept your invitation, that’s wonderful. Promptly and proactively seek for ways of improving your marriage relationship.
When it comes to “fixing” relationships, the pattern is that men tend to procrastinate and women tend to act. And specifically, women tend act by interviewing multiple attorneys, by making plans and arrangements â all the way down to knowing exactly where you’re at and making sure any children are with her when she fires off her dirty deed of filing for divorce. The result is that men willingly put themselves in a position of HUGE disadvantage.
So, your best option is to DO something TODAY to turn your marriage around for the better.
Whatever you do, don’t leave things in limbo â put time frames and constraints on things. Many a woman has strung her husband along while she’s out playing the field, making alternate arrangements, and setting up a new life without him while he’s at home hoping she’ll come back around.
And, just so you know, when a man is passive in this way, it just proves to his wife that he’s not man enough for her and that she needs to find someone else who is manlier.
Also, a word of warning…
Beware of counselors who want to pull up and “analyze” all the bad stuff that’s happened in your marriage as this will only serve to emphasize the negatives that your wife is already holding in her mind and further suggest to her that leaving you is the right thing to do.
Your wife is already acknowledging internally all the bad stuff and perceived wrongs that’s happened in your marriage in a strong, vivid way and anything that “strengthens” her in this state is only going to work AGAINST you.
So, if you and your wife are still in the same house and nothing has happened yet, then I URGE you to get these two books (available at MarriedAndHappy.com/Catalog) right away:
“How To Turn Your Wife Into A Nymphomaniac”
“Strategies and Tactics for the Husband in a Sexless Marriage”
Not only will these two books show you what you need to do to save your marriage, they will also show you how to get the kind of marriage you want â a happy, sexual one.
Now, if you’re reading this and your wife has already filed for divorce, then I have two important recommendations for you:
One, I highly recommend that you IMMEDIATELY go to Amazon.com and get the following book OVERNIGHTED to yourself:
The Father’s Emergency Guide to Divorce-Custody Battle: A Tour Through the Predatory World of Judges, Lawyers, Psychologists & Social Workers, in the Subculture of Divorce by William Dawes
Also, if you have children, I STRONGLY recommend you get these books too:
Custody for Fathers: A Practical Guide Through the Combat Zone of a Brutal Custody Battle by Carleen Brennan
Fighting for Your Children: A Father’s Guide to Custody by John Steninbreder
Fathers’ Rights: Hard-Hitting & Fair Advice for Every Father Involved in a Custody Dispute by Jeffery Leving
All four of the above listed books are critically important to a man with children facing a divorce.
Perhaps most important is that they will educate a man on how to direct and drive his attorney in a way that’s useful to him. Without the information contained in these books, a man’s attorney will more often than not work AGAINST him more than he works FOR him. But, with the knowledge contained in these books, a man is better armed to protect himself and his interests.
The second recommendation is to realize that EVERYTHING is important in a divorce proceeding. If your attorney tells you something isn’t really important then understand that HE/SHE is probably LYING to you.
For example, attorney after attorney has told husband after husband that the initial “Temporary Hearing” (the “Pendente Lite”) was “no big deal” and that it wasn’t important for him to be there. Well, the fact of the matter is that this is usually the MOST IMPORTANT hearing there is because key precedents are set which shape the way things are to be LONG-TERM.
Similarly, everything a man signs is important. For example, many a man has signed an unfavorable agreement in good faith based on his attorney’s statement of “just until we get this worked out”. Unfortunately, that unfavorable agreement became a binding and legal agreement that the man had to live with for the next 10 to 20 years â or in some cases, for the rest of his life (or his ex-wife’s life).
Copyright 2009, Article by Calle Zorro of MarriedAndHappy.com. Permission is granted to reprint this article ONLY if a resource box pointing to the following website is included with it.
Calle Zorro
http://www.articlesbase.com/divorce-articles/i-think-my-wife-is-about-to-file-for-divorce-help-737370.html
Firstly let me state the point that, it isn’t just the matter that young children where sexually abused by catholic priests, but also the fact that nearly every single bishop and priest, along with members of the Gardaí (Irish Police Force) have covered this whole scandal up for years.
Can you not understand that the Catholic church have totally and utterly betrayed every single one of you, they have taken advantage of you and have made a mockery of your faith?
I am tired of having to listen and read excuses all the time, that at best does nothing more than justify pedophile.
"Oh, lot of other religions do it"
"The Catholic Church isn’t the only cause of sex abuse"
Unfortunately those excuses just are not good enough, and do not excuse what has happened, especially that this entire issue has been covered up.
And lets not forget:
"But the Catholic Church has done so much good as well"
Not a valid excuse either. If a convicted murderer saved a puppy from a burning building, would he be let go scott fee? I don’t think so.
So why justify what these Catholic priests have done?
*****
Examples:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoPN8GUwe2ksTB0TRVRhXarsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20100221192535AALbKzl
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoV_wbOuklvnFeWqWy5gujHsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20100220171307AAJYKFC
See "Catholic 17"
@Xenon,
Perhaps you should click on the links to see for yourself.
@John,
If you are going to be throwing around accusations like that, back them up. Plus you don’t even know me, to be making statements like that. Get your facts right.
CLICK THE LINKS PEOPLE, IF YOU WANT EXAMPLES!
@Denise,
You can only run away from the truth for so long!
@Boris,
I am not hating, just have a controversial opinion. Perhaps you could learn that your opinion isn’t the only one. And your excuse that it is a minority, sounds like a justification to me and it isn’t even the point. It wasn’t a minority, that covered it up and you know it.
@Dr. Phil
Well since people are actually using these justifications, I would have to say yes I am "in reality".
I am 13 yrs old and It was done to me not by a priest but by someone who called himself a devout catholic ..Anyway I think they think they can get away with it because there is no consequences..You see all they have to do is go to confession and their forgiven..Every time he violated me he would go to confession and the priest would tell him he is forgiven ..You see Jesus died for our sins so we can do anything and we still go to heaven…
I constantly think of this concept and I don’t think its right there is no justice especially if your too scared to tell your mom ..
.If he’s going to heaven then I prefer Hell…
Someone I really don’t like plead down to sexual assault, would he have to register as sex offender or not?
In New Jersey
Let me go find a lawyer, so I can pay them alot of money to answer a simple question
To my knowledge, yes. He will probably be registered as "medium risk" on whatever website and the longer he goes without another conviction he could end up as "low risk". Those labeled High Risk are generally charged with Sexual Assault of a Minor, or Child Molestation. Most sex crimes are an act of violence, and not classified as an act of sex.
When you hear the word âconduct disorderâ you might be thinking that all teenagers at one point in their lives suffer from conduct disorder. There maybe some truth to that but conduct disorder is a mental disorder that can be diagnosed and is more severe than your typical teenager misbehavior, troubled teen or rebellion. An individual with conduct disorder repeatedly violate the personal or property rights of other people and they fail to meet even the basic expectations of society. In order for a diagnosis to be absolute, the behavior must persist for six months or longer.
Conduct disorder is also known as disruptive behavior disorder owing to its negative impact on the teenager and his family. This particular disorder appears at about the age of nine to age seventeen and is relatively more common among boys than girls. Symptoms of the disorder include the following: early incidence of substance abuse; precocious sexual activity; truancy or other violations of the law; aggressive behavior resulting to injuries to other people and/or even animals; destructive behavior that damages or destroys property. It is important to keep in mind that these symptoms are worse and more severe than what you would expect from a normal misbehaving teenager. Likewise, there needs to be several of these symptoms to persist for long periods of time.
The key for parents is early diagnosis of the disorder because it is quite difficult to modify the behavior once the person has been accustomed to it. Therefore, the earlier the conduct disorder is diagnosed and treated, the better the chance for recovery and cure. There are certain guidelines when you detect any signs of conduct disorder in your child. First, pay attention to the signs and search for the underlying causes and try to remedy the situation. Next, it may be wise to ask for assistance from a psychologist or a psychiatrist who specializes in teen disorders. It would also be helpful to keep yourself informed about the disorder by getting accurate information from libraries, hotlines and even the internet. Lastly, try to look for family network organizations particularly those whose members have the same problem as you have.
Mia Ava
Personal accident claims lawyer in UK can help victims of accidents get compensated for the losses. These lawyers have in depth experience in handling claims cases. Any person who has have suffered an injury due a car accident, has been exposed to hazardous substances or items like asbestos, exposed to medication which causes damage to the individual, has been a victim of medical malpractice and acts including wrongful death, then he or she can make a personal injury claim. There are various injury compensation claim attorneys offering compensation to the injuries suffered.
Approaching a personal injury claim lawyer can help find out the type of claim that one can opt for. Seeking guidance from a legal representative can simplify the whole process of making a claim. As long as the accident has occurred due to the negligence of the other person, one can make a claim. For a successful claim, the injury must have occurred in the past 3 years. By making personal injury claims, a victim of an accident can get due compensation for any injury suffered. One can also get all the required information by looking online. From within the comfort of the house, one can get all the required information on injury claims procedure.
Personal injury claim lawyer is a lawyer who has expertise on handling personal injury claims cases. Anyone, who has suffered personal injuries can benefit by approaching these lawyers. These lawyers specialize in helping people injured in an accident due to the negligence of a third party. Most of the times, this involves working with an insurance company to settle a case prior to going to court. Anyone, who has suffered bodily injury, disease, death, invasion of personal rights, workers compensation and mental illness, can rightfully make a claim. Personal injury attorney lawyers can help a victim of a personal injury deal with the situation. There are many people who opine that personal injury cases are only for automobile accidents, which is not true.
Personal injury claim lawyer in UK deal with various kinds of cases. Be it motorcycle accidents, construction site and workplace accidents, sexual abuse and sexual harassment cases or even dog bite injuries. They will help you seek a suitable answer for all your queries. Personal injury is a specialized area and only experienced solicitors can handle your case.
Personal injury attorney will help you deal with case efficiently. The claimant can gain significantly from their vast experience. The personal injury lawyer will look out for the best option. Many of them donât wish to go through the lengthy hassles of making a claim. Such people can save their time by opting for personal injury claim process online. Indeed, seeking compensation for the injuries suffered can prove to be a daunting task at times. However, the online procedure of seeking compensation is fast, quick and reliable. This service ensures that the claimant gets compensation fast.
Sadhana Dhanyal
http://www.articlesbase.com/personal-injury-articles/personal-accident-claims-lawyer-in-uk-672128.html
What is Child Pornography?
Under federal law, child pornography1 is defined as a visual depiction of any kind, including a drawing, cartoon, sculpture, or painting, photograph, film, video, or computer-generated image or picture, whether made or produced by electronic, mechanical, or other means, of sexually explicit conduct, where it
depicts a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and is obscene, or
depicts an image that is, or appears to be, of a minor engaging in graphic bestiality, sadistic or masochistic abuse, or sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal, whether between persons of the same or opposite sex, and such depiction lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.2
Sexually explicit conduct includes various forms of sexual activity such as intercourse, bestiality, masturbation, sadistic or masochistic abuse, and lascivious exhibition of the genitals.3 It is illegal to possess, distribute, or manufacture these images.
These illegal images can be presented in various forms including print media; videotape; film; compact disc, read-only memory (CD-ROM); or digital versatile technology (DVD)4 and can be transmitted through computer bulletin-board systems (BBS), USENET Newsgroups, Internet Relay Chat, web-based groups, peer-to-peer technology, and an array of constantly changing world wide web sites.5
All states and the District of Columbia have laws concerning child pornography. As a result a person who violates federal laws concerning these images may also face additional state charges.
Who Is a Minor?
Federal statute defines “minor” as any person younger than 18.6 “While a majority of states follow the federal statute, some state laws define ‘minor’ or ‘child’ as a youth younger than 14, 16, or 17.7 Delaware law includes any person 18 years of age and younger in its definition of a ‘child.’”8
Is Child Pornography a Crime?
Yes, the possession or distribution of child pornography is illegal under federal laws and laws in all 50 states; however, researchers and law-enforcement officials believe this crime is increasing and the increase is related to growing Internet use.9
In response to this growing crime, the U.S. Department of Justice (USDoJ) has responded in several ways including funding the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline, www.cybertipline.com, acting as the national clearinghouse for reports of Internet-related child pornography and other Internet-related sex crimes committed against children. The USDoJ also created regional Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces to assist state and local law enforcement in handling these crimes and funded specialized Internet child exploitation units in federal law-enforcement agencies.10
Where Is Child Pornography Predominantly Found?
The development, increasing accessibility, and use of home-computer technology has revolutionized the distribution of these images by increasing the ease and decreasing the cost of production and distribution especially across international borders. Computer technology is transforming the production of these images into a “sophisticated global cottage industry.”11
It is not unusual to encounter illegal images while exploring legitimate areas of the Internet. A current study has estimated that “as much as 20 percent of all pornographic activity on the Internet may involve children”;12 however, accurate estimates are difficult to produce since a reliable methodology to measure the actual extent of these images online has yet to be devised.13 Nonetheless parents and guardians should closely monitor the online activities of their children and always maintain access to their children’s online accounts.
What Motivates People Who Possess Child Pornography?
• sexually interested in prepubescent children (pedophiles) or young adolescents (hebephiles), who use child pornography for sexual fantasy and gratification
• sexually “indiscriminate,” meaning they are constantly looking for new and different sexual stimuli
• sexually curious, downloading a few images to satisfy that curiosity
• interested in profiting financially by selling images or setting up web sites requiring payment for access15
Who Possesses Child Pornography?
The diversity of these possessors is exemplified by many factors including wide age ranges; incomes ranging from poverty to wealth; levels of education running the gamut from some not finishing high school to others having post college degrees; and those who come from cities, suburbs, small towns, and rural areas. Some are well known, well thought of in their communities, and/or have high-profile jobs. Others seem isolated, seem to be obsessed with the Internet, and/or have long criminal histories.16
Almost all child-pornography possessors (estimated 1,713) arrested between July 1, 2000, and June 30, 2001, were male, 91% were white, and 86% were older than 25. Only 3% were younger than 18. Most were unmarried at the time of their crime, either because they had never married (41%) or because they were separated, divorced, or widowed (21%). Thirty-eight (38%) percent were either married or living with partners.17
Of those estimated arrestees, most had sexually abusive images of prepubescent children (83%) and images graphically depicting sexual penetration (80%). Approximately 1 in 5 people arrested (21%) had images depicting sexual violence to children such as bondage, rape, and torture. More than 1 in 3 (39%) had child-pornography videos with motion and sound.18
Of those estimated arrestees, law enforcement found about half (48%) had more than 100 graphic still images, and 14% had 1,000 or more graphic images.19
Forty percent (40%) of those estimated arrestees were “dual offenders,” who sexually victimized children and possessed child pornography, with both crimes discovered in the same investigation. An additional 15% were dual offenders who attempted to sexually victimize children by soliciting undercover investigators who posed online as minors.20
How Old Were the Children Found in These Images?
According to investigators who handled the cases of estimated arrestees, most had images of children who had not yet reached puberty. Specifically 83% had images of children between ages 6 and 12; 39% had images of 3- to 5-year-old children; and 19% had images of toddlers or infants younger than age 3.21
Are the Children in the Images Boys or Girls?
According to investigators who handled the cases of estimated arrestees, 62% had pictures of mostly girls. Fourteen percent (14%) had pictures of mostly boys. Fifteen percent (15%) had pictures showing boys and girls in about equal numbers.22
How Graphic Are the Images?
According to investigators who handled the cases of estimated arrestees, most had graphic images explicitly showing sexual acts by or on children. Specifically 92% had images of minors focusing on genitals or showing explicit sexual activity; 80% had pictures showing the sexual penetration of a child, including oral sex; 71% possessed images showing sexual contact between an adult and a minor, defined as an adult touching the genitals or breasts of a minor or vice-versa; 21% had child pornography depicting violence such as bondage, rape, or torture and most of those involved images of children who were gagged, bound, blindfolded, or otherwise enduring sadistic sex; and 79% also had what might be termed “softcore” images of nude or semi-nude minors, but only 1% possessed such images alone.23
What Are the Effects of Child Pornography?
It is important to realize these images can have a devastating and lasting effect on children. In addition to any physical injuries they might suffer in the course of their molestation, such as genital bruising, lacerations, or exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, child victims may also experience depression, withdrawal, anger, and other psychological disorders.24 Such effects may continue into adulthood. For instance women abused as children have statistically significant higher rates of nightmares, back pain, headaches, pelvic pain, eating binges, and other similar symptoms.25 Child victims also frequently experience feelings of guilt and responsibility for the abuse and betrayal, a sense of powerlessness, and feelings of worthlessness and low self-esteem.26 These feelings are often expressed through increased fearfulness and changes in sleep patterns including re-occurring memories, flashbacks, dreams, and nightmares associated with posttraumatic stress.27 Younger children tend to externalize stress by re-enacting sexual activities through play, while adolescents may experience negative effects on their growing sexuality as a result of inappropriate early sexual experiences.28
The lives of children featured in these illegal images are forever altered, not only by the molestation but by the permanent record of the exploitation. Once sexual exploitation takes place, the molester may document these encounters on film or video. This documentation can then become the “ammunition” needed to blackmail the child into further submission, which is necessary to continue the relationship and maintain its secrecy. In addition these documented images allow molesters to “relive” their sexual fantasies with children long after the exploitation has stopped.
A greater number of child molesters are now using computer technology to organize and maintain their collections of these illegal images. They are also using the Internet to increase the size of these collections. Personally manufactured illegal images of children are especially valuable on the Internet, which provide the molester with a respected status among fellow exploiters and traders of this material. Once this status is achieved, molesters will often begin to trade images of their own sexual exploits with children.
When these images reach cyberspace, they are irretrievable and can continue to circulate forever. Thus the child is revictimized as the images are viewed again and again.
How Do Online Exploiters Find Children?
After this initial meeting, these individuals will often continue to communicate with the child electronically or through other means. Some of these individuals may then attempt to lower the child’s inhibitions by gradually introducing sexual content into their online conversations and even send the child sexually abusive images of other children. When children are shown images of peers engaged in sexual activities, they are led to believe this behavior is acceptable. This lowers their inhibitions and makes it easier for the molester to take advantage of the child sexually.
Parents and guardians are strongly encouraged to speak openly with their children about online risks and monitor their online activities.
End Notes
1As stated by Janis Wolak, Kimberly Mitchell, and David Finkelhor in Internet Sex Crimes Against Minors: The Response of Law Enforcement (Alexandria, Virginia: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, November 2003, page vii), “The term ‘child pornography,’ because it implies simply conventional pornography with child subjects, is an inappropriate term to describe the true nature and extent of sexually exploitive images of child victims. Use of this term should not be taken to imply that children ‘consented’ to the sexual acts depicted in these photographs; however, it is the term most readily recognized by the public, at this point in time, to describe this form of child sexual exploitation. It is used in this [document] to refer to illegal pictorial material involving children under the standards developed by statute, case law, and law-enforcement-agency protocols. It is hoped a more accurate term will be recognized, understood, and accepted for use in the near future.”
218 U.S.C. § 1466A and 18 U.S.C. § 2256.
3Id.
4Eva J. Klain, Heather J. Davies, Molly A. Hicks. Child Pornography: The Criminal-Justice-System Response (Alexandria, Virginia: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, March 2001, page 1) [hereinafter Response], citing Daniel S. Armagh, Nick L. Battaglia, and Kenneth V. Lanning, Use of Computers in the Sexual Exploitation of Children, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Portable Guides to Investigating Child Abuse. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, 1999, page 6.
5Response, supra note 4, page 1.
6Janis Wolak, David Finkelhor, and Kimberly Mitchell. Child-Pornography Possessors Arrested in Internet-Related Crimes: Findings From the National Juvenile Online Victimization Study (Alexandria, Virginia: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 2005, page ix) [hereinafter Possessors] citing 18 U.S.C. § 2256(1).)
7Possessors, pages ix-x citing research conducted by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in December 2004 which found, in regard to state statutes criminalizing possession of child pornography, 37 states define “minor” or “child” as a youth younger than the age of 18 (Alaska, ALASKA STAT. § 11.61.127(a); Arizona, ARIZ. REV. STAT. § 13-3551(5); California, CAL. PENAL CODE § 311.11(a); Colorado, COLO. REV. STAT. § 18-6-403(2)(a); Connecticut, CONN. GEN. STAT. § 1-1d; Florida, FLA. STAT. ch. 827.01(2); Georgia, GA. CODE ANN. § 16-12-100(a)(1); Hawaii, HAW. REV. STAT. § 707-752(2); Idaho, IDAHO CODE § 8-1507(2)(b); Illinois, 720 ILL. COMP. STAT. 5/11-20.1(6); Iowa, IOWA CODE § 728.1(4); Kansas, KAN. STAT. ANN. § 21-3516(a)(2); Kentucky, KY. REV. STAT. ANN. §§ 2.015, 500.080(9); Massachusetts, MASS. GEN. LAWS ch. 272, § 29C; Michigan, MICH. COMP. LAWS § 750.145c(b); Minnesota, MINN. STAT. § 617.246(1)(b); Mississippi, MISS. CODE ANN. § 97-5-31(a); Missouri, MO. REV. STAT. § 573.010(2); Montana, MONT. CODE ANN. §§ 45-5-625, 45-8-205; New Mexico, N.M. STAT. ANN. § 30-6A-3(A); North Carolina, N.C. GEN. STAT. § 14-190.13(3); North Dakota, N.D. CENT. CODE § 12.1-27.2-05(1); Ohio, OHIO REV. CODE ANN. § 2907.01(M); Oklahoma, OKLA. STAT. tit. 21, § 1024.1(A); Oregon, OR. REV. STAT. § 163.665(1); Pennsylvania, 18 PA. CONS. STAT. § 6312(d)(1); Rhode Island, R.I. GEN. LAWS § 11-9-1.3(c)(3); South Carolina, S.C. CODE ANN. § 16-15-375(3); South Dakota, S.D. CODIFIED LAWS § 22-22-24.1(3); Tennessee, TENN. CODE ANN. § 39-17-1002(3); Texas, TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 43.26(a); Utah, UTAH CODE ANN. § 76-5a-2(5); Virginia, VA. CODE ANN. § 18.2-374.1:1(A); Washington, WASH. REV. CODE § 9.68A.011(4); West Virginia, W. VA. CODE § 61-8C-1(a); Wisconsin, WIS. STAT. § 948.01(1); Wyoming, WYO. STAT. ANN. § 6-4-303(a)(i)); 3 define “minor” or “child” as a youth younger than the age of 17 (Alabama, ALA. CODE § 13A-12-192; Arkansas, ARK. CODE ANN. § 5-27-302(1); and Louisiana, LA. REV. STAT. ANN. § 14:81.1(A)(3)); 7 define “minor” or “child” as a youth younger than the age of 16 (Indiana, IND. CODE § 35-42-4-4(c); Maryland, MD. CODE ANN., Crim. Law § 11-208(a); Nevada, NEV. REV. STAT. 200.730; New Hampshire, N.H. REV. STAT. ANN. § 649-A:2(I); New Jersey, N.J. STAT. ANN. § 2C: 24-4(b)(1); New York, N.Y. PENAL LAW § 263.16; and Vermont, VT. STAT. ANN. tit. 13, § 2821(1)); and 1 defines “minor” or “child” as a youth younger than the age of 14 (Maine, ME. REV. STAT. ANN. tit. 17, § 2924(2-A)).
The age of a “child” in Nebraska depends on whether the child is a participant (younger than 18 years of age) or a portrayed observer (younger than 16 years of age). NEB. REV. STAT. § 28-1463.02(1).
In the District of Columbia, possession of child pornography with the intent to disseminate may be prosecuted under the general obscenity statute; however, mere possession is not mentioned. D.C. CODE ANN. § 22-2201(a)(1)(E). There are two criminal offenses that address “sexual performances using minors”: “using a minor in a sexual performance” and “promoting a sexual performance by a minor.” D.C. CODE ANN. § 22-3102. For these offenses, “minor” is defined as any person younger than 16 years of age. D.C. CODE ANN. §§ 22-3101(2), 22-3102.
8Possessors, supra note 6, page x citing DEL. CODE ANN. tit. 11, § 1103(e).
9Possessors, supra note 6, page ix.
10Id.
11Response, supra note 4, page 3, citing Child Pornography: An International Perspective, World Congress Against the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, Stockholm, Sweden, August 27-31, 1996, page 9.
12Response, supra note 4, page 3, citing Allotted Day on Child Pornography, 36th Parliament, 1st Session, Edited Hansand 1, No. 172, February 2, 1999, page 12.
13Response, supra note 4, page 3.
14Possessors, supra note 6, page x citing Response, supra note 4 and M. Taylor and E. Quayle. Child pornography: An Internet crime. Hove: Brunner-Routledge, 2003.
15Possessors, supra note 6, page x.
16Id., pages 2-3.
17Id., pages 1-2.
18Id., page vii.
19Id., page 7.
20Id., page viii.
21Id., page 4.
22Id., page 5.
23Id.
24Response, supra note 4, page 10, citing Bentovim and Bentovim, “The Effects on Children and Their Families” in Organized Abuse: The Current Debate, pages 60-62 [hereinafter Effects on Children].
25Response, supra note 4, page 10, citing Jeanne McCauley, David E. Kern, Ken Kolodner, et al., Clinical Characteristics of Women with a History of Childhood Abuse: Unhealed Wounds, 277 JAMA 1197, page 1362.
26Response, supra note 4, page 10, citing Heather Y. Swanston, Jennifer S. Tebbutt, Brian I. O’Toole, and R. Kim Oates, Sexually Abused Children 5 Years After Presentation: A Case-Control Study, 100 Pediatrics, 1997, page 600, 603.
27Response, supra note 4, page 10, citing Effects on Children, supra note 24, pages 60-62.
28Id.
What is the Molestation of Children?
Every child is vulnerable to sexual exploitation. Child victims can be boys as well as girls and older as well as younger.
Child molestation can include
Fondling or touching
"Flashing" or exposing adult genitals to a child
Showing sexually explicit material to a child
So called "normal" sexual activity such as vaginal or anal intercourse or oral stimulation of the genitals
So called "deviant" sexual activity such as urination, defecation, sadomasochism, or bondage
Child molesters can use many methods such as
Child molesters most often manipulate child victims into complying with sexual activity by "grooming" them with attention, affection, and gifts over a period of time. Sometimes this "grooming" is aimed at the parent of very young children in order for the child molester to obtain the family’s trust and thereby gain access to the child.
Adapted from Child Molesters: A Behavioral Analysis. Copyright © 2001 National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. All rights reserved.
Signs of Sexual Exploitation in Children
Parents, grandparents, and guardians should be aware of the signs noted below that could indicate your child has been sexually molested. You should note that some of these behaviors may have other explanations, but it is important to assist your child no matter what the cause of these symptoms or behaviors.
Changes in behavior, extreme mood swings, withdrawal, fearfulness, and excessive crying
Bed-wetting, nightmares, fear of going to bed, or other sleep disturbances
Acting out inappropriate sexual activity or showing an unusual interest in sexual matters
A sudden acting out of feelings or aggressive or rebellious behavior
Regression to infantile behavior; clinging
School or behavioral problems
Changes in toilet-training habits
A fear of certain places, people, or activities
Bruises, rashes, cuts, limping, multiple or poorly explained injuries
Pain, itching, bleeding, fluid, or rawness in the private areas
If you observe any of these behaviors, talk to your child about the causes. Behavioral changes such as these may be due to causes other than sexual exploitation such as a medical, family, or school problem. Also keep in mind that sometimes children do not always demonstrate obvious signs such as these but may do or say something that hints at the exploitation.
Information adapted from
Coaxing or persuading a child into sexual activity
Overpowering or threatening to harm a child into sexual activity
Individuals looking for potential child victims online have no difficulty finding them. It is quite common for these individuals to frequent “kids only” chatrooms and communicate with children who unwittingly divulge personal information about themselves. A more recent phenomenon is the solicitation of sex over the Internet.
There is not much research about the motivations of people who possess child pornography. But, from the little information that exists, it suggests these people are a diverse group who use sexually abusive images of children for a variety of reasons.14 Those who possess child pornography include people who are
The Internet has created an exciting new world of information and communication for anyone with access to online services. While this technology offers unparalleled opportunities for children and adults to learn about the universe we live in, it has also had an immeasurable impact on the sexual exploitation of children, specifically the distribution of sexually exploitive images of children.
What is Child Pornography?
Under federal law, child pornography1 is defined as a visual depiction of any kind, including a drawing, cartoon, sculpture, or painting, photograph, film, video, or computer-generated image or picture, whether made or produced by electronic, mechanical, or other means, of sexually explicit conduct, where it
depicts a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and is obscene, or
depicts an image that is, or appears to be, of a minor engaging in graphic bestiality, sadistic or masochistic abuse, or sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal, whether between persons of the same or opposite sex, and such depiction lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.2
Sexually explicit conduct includes various forms of sexual activity such as intercourse, bestiality, masturbation, sadistic or masochistic abuse, and lascivious exhibition of the genitals.3 It is illegal to possess, distribute, or manufacture these images.
These illegal images can be presented in various forms including print media; videotape; film; compact disc, read-only memory (CD-ROM); or digital versatile technology (DVD)4 and can be transmitted through computer bulletin-board systems (BBS), USENET Newsgroups, Internet Relay Chat, web-based groups, peer-to-peer technology, and an array of constantly changing world wide web sites.5
All states and the District of Columbia have laws concerning child pornography. As a result a person who violates federal laws concerning these images may also face additional state charges.
Who Is a Minor?
Federal statute defines “minor” as any person younger than 18.6 “While a majority of states follow the federal statute, some state laws define ‘minor’ or ‘child’ as a youth younger than 14, 16, or 17.7 Delaware law includes any person 18 years of age and younger in its definition of a ‘child.’”8
Is Child Pornography a Crime?
Yes, the possession or distribution of child pornography is illegal under federal laws and laws in all 50 states; however, researchers and law-enforcement officials believe this crime is increasing and the increase is related to growing Internet use.9
In response to this growing crime, the U.S. Department of Justice (USDoJ) has responded in several ways including funding the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline, www.cybertipline.com, acting as the national clearinghouse for reports of Internet-related child pornography and other Internet-related sex crimes committed against children. The USDoJ also created regional Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces to assist state and local law enforcement in handling these crimes and funded specialized Internet child exploitation units in federal law-enforcement agencies.10
Where Is Child Pornography Predominantly Found?
The development, increasing accessibility, and use of home-computer technology has revolutionized the distribution of these images by increasing the ease and decreasing the cost of production and distribution especially across international borders. Computer technology is transforming the production of these images into a “sophisticated global cottage industry.”11
It is not unusual to encounter illegal images while exploring legitimate areas of the Internet. A current study has estimated that “as much as 20 percent of all pornographic activity on the Internet may involve children”;12 however, accurate estimates are difficult to produce since a reliable methodology to measure the actual extent of these images online has yet to be devised.13 Nonetheless parents and guardians should closely monitor the online activities of their children and always maintain access to their children’s online accounts.
What Motivates People Who Possess Child Pornography?
• sexually interested in prepubescent children (pedophiles) or young adolescents (hebephiles), who use child pornography for sexual fantasy and gratification
• sexually “indiscriminate,” meaning they are constantly looking for new and different sexual stimuli
• sexually curious, downloading a few images to satisfy that curiosity
• interested in profiting financially by selling images or setting up web sites requiring payment for access15
Who Possesses Child Pornography?
The diversity of these possessors is exemplified by many factors including wide age ranges; incomes ranging from poverty to wealth; levels of education running the gamut from some not finishing high school to others having post college degrees; and those who come from cities, suburbs, small towns, and rural areas. Some are well known, well thought of in their communities, and/or have high-profile jobs. Others seem isolated, seem to be obsessed with the Internet, and/or have long criminal histories.16
Almost all child-pornography possessors (estimated 1,713) arrested between July 1, 2000, and June 30, 2001, were male, 91% were white, and 86% were older than 25. Only 3% were younger than 18. Most were unmarried at the time of their crime, either because they had never married (41%) or because they were separated, divorced, or widowed (21%). Thirty-eight (38%) percent were either married or living with partners.17
Of those estimated arrestees, most had sexually abusive images of prepubescent children (83%) and images graphically depicting sexual penetration (80%). Approximately 1 in 5 people arrested (21%) had images depicting sexual violence to children such as bondage, rape, and torture. More than 1 in 3 (39%) had child-pornography videos with motion and sound.18
Of those estimated arrestees, law enforcement found about half (48%) had more than 100 graphic still images, and 14% had 1,000 or more graphic images.19
Forty percent (40%) of those estimated arrestees were “dual offenders,” who sexually victimized children and possessed child pornography, with both crimes discovered in the same investigation. An additional 15% were dual offenders who attempted to sexually victimize children by soliciting undercover investigators who posed online as minors.20
How Old Were the Children Found in These Images?
According to investigators who handled the cases of estimated arrestees, most had images of children who had not yet reached puberty. Specifically 83% had images of children between ages 6 and 12; 39% had images of 3- to 5-year-old children; and 19% had images of toddlers or infants younger than age 3.21
Are the Children in the Images Boys or Girls?
According to investigators who handled the cases of estimated arrestees, 62% had pictures of mostly girls. Fourteen percent (14%) had pictures of mostly boys. Fifteen percent (15%) had pictures showing boys and girls in about equal numbers.22
How Graphic Are the Images?
According to investigators who handled the cases of estimated arrestees, most had graphic images explicitly showing sexual acts by or on children. Specifically 92% had images of minors focusing on genitals or showing explicit sexual activity; 80% had pictures showing the sexual penetration of a child, including oral sex; 71% possessed images showing sexual contact between an adult and a minor, defined as an adult touching the genitals or breasts of a minor or vice-versa; 21% had child pornography depicting violence such as bondage, rape, or torture and most of those involved images of children who were gagged, bound, blindfolded, or otherwise enduring sadistic sex; and 79% also had what might be termed “softcore” images of nude or semi-nude minors, but only 1% possessed such images alone.23
What Are the Effects of Child Pornography?
It is important to realize these images can have a devastating and lasting effect on children. In addition to any physical injuries they might suffer in the course of their molestation, such as genital bruising, lacerations, or exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, child victims may also experience depression, withdrawal, anger, and other psychological disorders.24 Such effects may continue into adulthood. For instance women abused as children have statistically significant higher rates of nightmares, back pain, headaches, pelvic pain, eating binges, and other similar symptoms.25 Child victims also frequently experience feelings of guilt and responsibility for the abuse and betrayal, a sense of powerlessness, and feelings of worthlessness and low self-esteem.26 These feelings are often expressed through increased fearfulness and changes in sleep patterns including re-occurring memories, flashbacks, dreams, and nightmares associated with posttraumatic stress.27 Younger children tend to externalize stress by re-enacting sexual activities through play, while adolescents may experience negative effects on their growing sexuality as a result of inappropriate early sexual experiences.28
The lives of children featured in these illegal images are forever altered, not only by the molestation but by the permanent record of the exploitation. Once sexual exploitation takes place, the molester may document these encounters on film or video. This documentation can then become the “ammunition” needed to blackmail the child into further submission, which is necessary to continue the relationship and maintain its secrecy. In addition these documented images allow molesters to “relive” their sexual fantasies with children long after the exploitation has stopped.
A greater number of child molesters are now using computer technology to organize and maintain their collections of these illegal images. They are also using the Internet to increase the size of these collections. Personally manufactured illegal images of children are especially valuable on the Internet, which provide the molester with a respected status among fellow exploiters and traders of this material. Once this status is achieved, molesters will often begin to trade images of their own sexual exploits with children.
When these images reach cyberspace, they are irretrievable and can continue to circulate forever. Thus the child is revictimized as the images are viewed again and again.
How Do Online Exploiters Find Children?
After this initial meeting, these individuals will often continue to communicate with the child electronically or through other means. Some of these individuals may then attempt to lower the child’s inhibitions by gradually introducing sexual content into their online conversations and even send the child sexually abusive images of other children. When children are shown images of peers engaged in sexual activities, they are led to believe this behavior is acceptable. This lowers their inhibitions and makes it easier for the molester to take advantage of the child sexually.
Parents and guardians are strongly encouraged to speak openly with their children about online risks and monitor their online activities.
End Notes
1As stated by Janis Wolak, Kimberly Mitchell, and David Finkelhor in Internet Sex Crimes Against Minors: The Response of Law Enforcement (Alexandria, Virginia: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, November 2003, page vii), “The term ‘child pornography,’ because it implies simply conventional pornography with child subjects, is an inappropriate term to describe the true nature and extent of sexually exploitive images of child victims. Use of this term should not be taken to imply that children ‘consented’ to the sexual acts depicted in these photographs; however, it is the term most readily recognized by the public, at this point in time, to describe this form of child sexual exploitation. It is used in this [document] to refer to illegal pictorial material involving children under the standards developed by statute, case law, and law-enforcement-agency protocols. It is hoped a more accurate term will be recognized, understood, and accepted for use in the near future.”
218 U.S.C. § 1466A and 18 U.S.C. § 2256.
3Id.
4Eva J. Klain, Heather J. Davies, Molly A. Hicks. Child Pornography: The Criminal-Justice-System Response (Alexandria, Virginia: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, March 2001, page 1) [hereinafter Response], citing Daniel S. Armagh, Nick L. Battaglia, and Kenneth V. Lanning, Use of Computers in the Sexual Exploitation of Children, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Portable Guides to Investigating Child Abuse. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, 1999, page 6.
5Response, supra note 4, page 1.
6Janis Wolak, David Finkelhor, and Kimberly Mitchell. Child-Pornography Possessors Arrested in Internet-Related Crimes: Findings From the National Juvenile Online Victimization Study (Alexandria, Virginia: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 2005, page ix) [hereinafter Possessors] citing 18 U.S.C. § 2256(1).)
7Possessors, pages ix-x citing research conducted by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in December 2004 which found, in regard to state statutes criminalizing possession of child pornography, 37 states define “minor” or “child” as a youth younger than the age of 18 (Alaska, ALASKA STAT. § 11.61.127(a); Arizona, ARIZ. REV. STAT. § 13-3551(5); California, CAL. PENAL CODE § 311.11(a); Colorado, COLO. REV. STAT. § 18-6-403(2)(a); Connecticut, CONN. GEN. STAT. § 1-1d; Florida, FLA. STAT. ch. 827.01(2); Georgia, GA. CODE ANN. § 16-12-100(a)(1); Hawaii, HAW. REV. STAT. § 707-752(2); Idaho, IDAHO CODE § 8-1507(2)(b); Illinois, 720 ILL. COMP. STAT. 5/11-20.1(6); Iowa, IOWA CODE § 728.1(4); Kansas, KAN. STAT. ANN. § 21-3516(a)(2); Kentucky, KY. REV. STAT. ANN. §§ 2.015, 500.080(9); Massachusetts, MASS. GEN. LAWS ch. 272, § 29C; Michigan, MICH. COMP. LAWS § 750.145c(b); Minnesota, MINN. STAT. § 617.246(1)(b); Mississippi, MISS. CODE ANN. § 97-5-31(a); Missouri, MO. REV. STAT. § 573.010(2); Montana, MONT. CODE ANN. §§ 45-5-625, 45-8-205; New Mexico, N.M. STAT. ANN. § 30-6A-3(A); North Carolina, N.C. GEN. STAT. § 14-190.13(3); North Dakota, N.D. CENT. CODE § 12.1-27.2-05(1); Ohio, OHIO REV. CODE ANN. § 2907.01(M); Oklahoma, OKLA. STAT. tit. 21, § 1024.1(A); Oregon, OR. REV. STAT. § 163.665(1); Pennsylvania, 18 PA. CONS. STAT. § 6312(d)(1); Rhode Island, R.I. GEN. LAWS § 11-9-1.3(c)(3); South Carolina, S.C. CODE ANN. § 16-15-375(3); South Dakota, S.D. CODIFIED LAWS § 22-22-24.1(3); Tennessee, TENN. CODE ANN. § 39-17-1002(3); Texas, TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 43.26(a); Utah, UTAH CODE ANN. § 76-5a-2(5); Virginia, VA. CODE ANN. § 18.2-374.1:1(A); Washington, WASH. REV. CODE § 9.68A.011(4); West Virginia, W. VA. CODE § 61-8C-1(a); Wisconsin, WIS. STAT. § 948.01(1); Wyoming, WYO. STAT. ANN. § 6-4-303(a)(i)); 3 define “minor” or “child” as a youth younger than the age of 17 (Alabama, ALA. CODE § 13A-12-192; Arkansas, ARK. CODE ANN. § 5-27-302(1); and Louisiana, LA. REV. STAT. ANN. § 14:81.1(A)(3)); 7 define “minor” or “child” as a youth younger than the age of 16 (Indiana, IND. CODE § 35-42-4-4(c); Maryland, MD. CODE ANN., Crim. Law § 11-208(a); Nevada, NEV. REV. STAT. 200.730; New Hampshire, N.H. REV. STAT. ANN. § 649-A:2(I); New Jersey, N.J. STAT. ANN. § 2C: 24-4(b)(1); New York, N.Y. PENAL LAW § 263.16; and Vermont, VT. STAT. ANN. tit. 13, § 2821(1)); and 1 defines “minor” or “child” as a youth younger than the age of 14 (Maine, ME. REV. STAT. ANN. tit. 17, § 2924(2-A)).
The age of a “child” in Nebraska depends on whether the child is a participant (younger than 18 years of age) or a portrayed observer (younger than 16 years of age). NEB. REV. STAT. § 28-1463.02(1).
In the District of Columbia, possession of child pornography with the intent to disseminate may be prosecuted under the general obscenity statute; however, mere possession is not mentioned. D.C. CODE ANN. § 22-2201(a)(1)(E). There are two criminal offenses that address “sexual performances using minors”: “using a minor in a sexual performance” and “promoting a sexual performance by a minor.” D.C. CODE ANN. § 22-3102. For these offenses, “minor” is defined as any person younger than 16 years of age. D.C. CODE ANN. §§ 22-3101(2), 22-3102.
8Possessors, supra note 6, page x citing DEL. CODE ANN. tit. 11, § 1103(e).
9Possessors, supra note 6, page ix.
10Id.
11Response, supra note 4, page 3, citing Child Pornography: An International Perspective, World Congress Against the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, Stockholm, Sweden, August 27-31, 1996, page 9.
12Response, supra note 4, page 3, citing Allotted Day on Child Pornography, 36th Parliament, 1st Session, Edited Hansand 1, No. 172, February 2, 1999, page 12.
13Response, supra note 4, page 3.
14Possessors, supra note 6, page x citing Response, supra note 4 and M. Taylor and E. Quayle. Child pornography: An Internet crime. Hove: Brunner-Routledge, 2003.
15Possessors, supra note 6, page x.
16Id., pages 2-3.
17Id., pages 1-2.
18Id., page vii.
19Id., page 7.
20Id., page viii.
21Id., page 4.
22Id., page 5.
23Id.
24Response, supra note 4, page 10, citing Bentovim and Bentovim, “The Effects on Children and Their Families” in Organized Abuse: The Current Debate, pages 60-62 [hereinafter Effects on Children].
25Response, supra note 4, page 10, citing Jeanne McCauley, David E. Kern, Ken Kolodner, et al., Clinical Characteristics of Women with a History of Childhood Abuse: Unhealed Wounds, 277 JAMA 1197, page 1362.
26Response, supra note 4, page 10, citing Heather Y. Swanston, Jennifer S. Tebbutt, Brian I. O’Toole, and R. Kim Oates, Sexually Abused Children 5 Years After Presentation: A Case-Control Study, 100 Pediatrics, 1997, page 600, 603.
27Response, supra note 4, page 10, citing Effects on Children, supra note 24, pages 60-62.
28Id.
What is the Molestation of Children?
Every child is vulnerable to sexual exploitation. Child victims can be boys as well as girls and older as well as younger.
Child molestation can include
Fondling or touching
"Flashing" or exposing adult genitals to a child
Showing sexually explicit material to a child
So called "normal" sexual activity such as vaginal or anal intercourse or oral stimulation of the genitals
So called "deviant" sexual activity such as urination, defecation, sadomasochism, or bondage
Child molesters can use many methods such as
Child molesters most often manipulate child victims into complying with sexual activity by "grooming" them with attention, affection, and gifts over a period of time. Sometimes this "grooming" is aimed at the parent of very young children in order for the child molester to obtain the family’s trust and thereby gain access to the child.
Adapted from Child Molesters: A Behavioral Analysis. Copyright © 2001 National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. All rights reserved.
Signs of Sexual Exploitation in Children
Parents, grandparents, and guardians should be aware of the signs noted below that could indicate your child has been sexually molested. You should note that some of these behaviors may have other explanations, but it is important to assist your child no matter what the cause of these symptoms or behaviors.
Changes in behavior, extreme mood swings, withdrawal, fearfulness, and excessive crying
Bed-wetting, nightmares, fear of going to bed, or other sleep disturbances
Acting out inappropriate sexual activity or showing an unusual interest in sexual matters
A sudden acting out of feelings or aggressive or rebellious behavior
Regression to infantile behavior; clinging
School or behavioral problems
Changes in toilet-training habits
A fear of certain places, people, or activities
Bruises, rashes, cuts, limping, multiple or poorly explained injuries
Pain, itching, bleeding, fluid, or rawness in the private areas
If you observe any of these behaviors, talk to your child about the causes. Behavioral changes such as these may be due to causes other than sexual exploitation such as a medical, family, or school problem. Also keep in mind that sometimes children do not always demonstrate obvious signs such as these but may do or say something that hints at the exploitation.
Information adapted from
Coaxing or persuading a child into sexual activity
Overpowering or threatening to harm a child into sexual activity
Individuals looking for potential child victims online have no difficulty finding them. It is quite common for these individuals to frequent “kids only” chatrooms and communicate with children who unwittingly divulge personal information about themselves. A more recent phenomenon is the solicitation of sex over the Internet.
There is not much research about the motivations of people who possess child pornography. But, from the little information that exists, it suggests these people are a diverse group who use sexually abusive images of children for a variety of reasons.14 Those who possess child pornography include people who are
The Internet has created an exciting new world of information and communication for anyone with access to online services. While this technology offers unparalleled opportunities for children and adults to learn about the universe we live in, it has also had an immeasurable impact on the sexual exploitation of children, specifically the distribution of sexually exploitive images of children.
Adapted from
What to Do If a Child Discloses Sexual Exploitation
If your child discloses sexual exploitation, how you react is an important part of child protection.
Underreact to or minimize the information
Overreact to the information or panic
Criticize or blame your child
Respect your child’s privacy
Support your child and the decision to tell
Show physical affection, and express love and support with words and gestures
Explain to your child that he or she has done nothing wrong
Help your child understand it was the offender’s responsibility, not your child’s
Remember that children seldom lie about acts of sexual exploitation
Keep the lines of communication open
Seek appropriate medical care for your child
Notify law enforcement
Alert the child-protection, youth-services, child-abuse, or other appropriate social-services organizations in cooperation with law enforcement
Consider the need for counseling or therapy for your child and the entire family
Contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s 24-hour, toll-free telephone line to report any information about missing or sexually exploited children at 1-800-843-5678. This number is available throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The TDD Hotline is 1-800-826-7653.
Often children do not disclose about incidents of sexual exploitation. It is up to attentive adults to recognize the
We have these resources and more at www.ChildProtectioncCommunity.com
Do
Don’t
Joe Tillman
http://www.articlesbase.com/parenting-articles/what-is-child-pornagraphy-contents-from-national-center-for-missing-children-708061.html
Personal accident claims lawyer in UK can help victims of accidents get compensated for the losses. These lawyers have in depth experience in handling claims cases. Any person who has have suffered an injury due a car accident, has been exposed to hazardous substances or items like asbestos, exposed to medication which causes damage to the individual, has been a victim of medical malpractice and acts including wrongful death, then he or she can make a personal injury claim. There are various injury compensation claim attorneys offering compensation to the injuries suffered.
Approaching a personal injury claim lawyer can help find out the type of claim that one can opt for. Seeking guidance from a legal representative can simplify the whole process of making a claim. As long as the accident has occurred due to the negligence of the other person, one can make a claim. For a successful claim, the injury must have occurred in the past 3 years. By making personal injury claims, a victim of an accident can get due compensation for any injury suffered. One can also get all the required information by looking online. From within the comfort of the house, one can get all the required information on injury claims procedure.
Personal injury claim lawyer is a lawyer who has expertise on handling personal injury claims cases. Anyone, who has suffered personal injuries can benefit by approaching these lawyers. These lawyers specialize in helping people injured in an accident due to the negligence of a third party. Most of the times, this involves working with an insurance company to settle a case prior to going to court. Anyone, who has suffered bodily injury, disease, death, invasion of personal rights, workers compensation and mental illness, can rightfully make a claim. Personal injury attorney lawyers can help a victim of a personal injury deal with the situation. There are many people who opine that personal injury cases are only for automobile accidents, which is not true.
Personal injury claim lawyer in UK deal with various kinds of cases. Be it motorcycle accidents, construction site and workplace accidents, sexual abuse and sexual harassment cases or even dog bite injuries. They will help you seek a suitable answer for all your queries. Personal injury is a specialized area and only experienced solicitors can handle your case.
Personal injury attorney will help you deal with case efficiently. The claimant can gain significantly from their vast experience. The personal injury lawyer will look out for the best option. Many of them donât wish to go through the lengthy hassles of making a claim. Such people can save their time by opting for personal injury claim process online. Indeed, seeking compensation for the injuries suffered can prove to be a daunting task at times. However, the online procedure of seeking compensation is fast, quick and reliable. This service ensures that the claimant gets compensation fast.
Sadhana Dhanyal
http://www.articlesbase.com/personal-injury-articles/personal-accident-claims-lawyer-in-uk-672128.html
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