Child Pornography, also known as pedophile pornography or Kid Porn (KP), is defined as a photographic, film, video or other visual representation that shows a person who is under the age of eighteen years old engaged in or depicted in explicit sexual activity. The definition also refers to written material to some extent. Such material is readily available in printed publications in some regions of the world. At present, most countries have driven child pornography to the underground of society. This, however, is less true on the Internet where anyone with a minimum of information and knowledge can still have access to vast collections of photographic and cinematic forms of material.

Technology has outstripped the global community of the ability to defend itself against the explosion of child pornography. It is estimated that in the year 2000, there will be 500 million or more Internet users. The Internet has become the mode of choice for child pornographers to distribute their material. Billions of bytes of child pornography are made available over the Internet daily.

Pedophiles and the manufacturers of child pornography are using the Internet to facilitate their activities. Children are being tracked and seduced via the Internet Pedophiles from around the world are able to network with each other easily and inexpensively. The sale and distribution of child pornography, and even the children, has become a huge business.

Long term exposure to graphic images and messages clearly do influence both private and public perceptions. Continued exposure to such material has been clearly demonstrated to desensitize pedophiles to their actions.

Child pornography is not without its victims.

• Child pornography is produced at the suffering of children who are sexually abused.
• Child pornography renews feelings of guilt, shame, fear and self-hate in the victims of childhood sexual assault.
• Child pornography fuels the deviant sexual desires of adults who would sexually abuse children.
• Child pornography is used in the commission of sexual abuse as a tool to groom the victim.
• Child pornography is BIG business on the Internet

Did You Know?

• Every 15 seconds a child is abused in the United States.
• 15% of all abused children are sexual abuse victims.
• The average sex offender has 117 victims.
• 95% of sexual abuse victims know their perpetrator.
• 95% of all teenage prostitutes have been sexually abused.
• There are an estimated 60 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse in America today.

While some incestuous persons have sex only with their own children, 44% of these persons abuse children outside the home during the time they are having sexual contact with their own children.

Most child abuse victims do not tell. They are continually abused because the pornography serves as a reminder of the torment and mistreatment they suffered at the hands of their abusers.

Please remember-children are never responsible for their sexual abuse. They need our help!