What is Child Pornography?

Child Pornography is Not About Obscenity. It’s a Human Rights Crime.

Child pornography is not an obscenity issue, nor is it a free-speech issue. Child pornography movies and images are crime scene recordings. Here are some facts on the nature of child pornography:

“What is Child Pornography?” Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Interview with Canadian child exploitation expert Paul Gillespie (2003)

Key Findings from “Child Pornography Possessors Arrested in Internet-Related Crimes”

University of New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Research Center
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice, 2005

Very Young Victims …

Of those arrested for possession of child pornography:
83% had images of children between the ages of 6 and 12
39% had images of children between the ages of 3 and 5
19% had images of infants and toddlers

Graphic and Brutal Images of Sexual Abuse …

Of those arrested for possession of child pornography:
80% had images showing sexual penetration
21% had images “depicting violence such as bondage, rape or torture. Most of these involved children who were gagged, bound, blindfolded or otherwise enduring sadistic sex.”
Only 1% restricted their “collecting” to images of simple child nudity.

Characteristics of Child Pornography Possessors …

Of those arrested for possession of child pornography:
91% were white
38% were married
41% were single/never married
34% lived with minor child
46% had direct access to children

Other Known Sexual Assault of Children …

Of those arrested for possession of child pornography:
40% were “dual offenders” who also sexually assaulted children
An additional 15% had attempted to entice a child online for sexual purposes

“Pay Per View” and Live Streaming Video

Law enforcement arrested a Chicago man in March, 2006 who broadcast the live sexual abuse of an 18-month old infant to an international child pornography ring.

“Wonderland Club” pedophile ring: “Some club members … owned production facilities and transmitted live child-sex shows over the Web.” (TIME Magazine)