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Blaming online images of abuse for Stuart Hazell's horrific acts is simplistic Blaming online images of abuse for Stuart Hazell's horrific acts is simplistic
(4 months later)
After months in which our attention was demanded by historic sexual abuse cases, this week has brought grim reminders that the issue remains very much in the here and now. Stuart Hazell has finally confessed to the horrific abuse and murder of Tia Sharp. Prior to the murder he had taken indecent photographs of his victim, and police investigations reveal he had an extensive and expanding collection of sexual images of children.After months in which our attention was demanded by historic sexual abuse cases, this week has brought grim reminders that the issue remains very much in the here and now. Stuart Hazell has finally confessed to the horrific abuse and murder of Tia Sharp. Prior to the murder he had taken indecent photographs of his victim, and police investigations reveal he had an extensive and expanding collection of sexual images of children.
On the same day, by coincidence, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) published its annual report, which announced significant leaps in numbers of cases reported, offenders convicted and children afforded protection – attributed to improved investigation, greater awareness and higher levels of reporting.On the same day, by coincidence, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) published its annual report, which announced significant leaps in numbers of cases reported, offenders convicted and children afforded protection – attributed to improved investigation, greater awareness and higher levels of reporting.
Unsurprisingly, several newspapers (including this one) conflated the two stories. The record of an offender's pornography consumption is now an almost invariable feature of a serious sex crime trial. There are, however, reasons to be wary of drawing too direct a causal link between an offender's viewing habits and their violent and abusive behaviour towards those around them.Unsurprisingly, several newspapers (including this one) conflated the two stories. The record of an offender's pornography consumption is now an almost invariable feature of a serious sex crime trial. There are, however, reasons to be wary of drawing too direct a causal link between an offender's viewing habits and their violent and abusive behaviour towards those around them.
It is beyond dispute that child abuse imagery has proliferated terrifyingly in recent decades. The digital revolution has brought the technology to capture and distribute such material into the homes of 1.5 billion people and rising. In 1995, Greater Manchester Police seized 12 indecent images of children. Four years later, that figure had risen to 41,000. According to Ceop, the number of unique child abuse images in circulation on the internet now runs into millions, with police forces reporting seizures of up to 2.5m images in single collections alone. The number of individual children depicted in these images is likely to be in the tens of thousands.It is beyond dispute that child abuse imagery has proliferated terrifyingly in recent decades. The digital revolution has brought the technology to capture and distribute such material into the homes of 1.5 billion people and rising. In 1995, Greater Manchester Police seized 12 indecent images of children. Four years later, that figure had risen to 41,000. According to Ceop, the number of unique child abuse images in circulation on the internet now runs into millions, with police forces reporting seizures of up to 2.5m images in single collections alone. The number of individual children depicted in these images is likely to be in the tens of thousands.
It cannot be stressed enough that every image that is created, downloaded or shared is a separate act of exploitation, violation and abuse. Accessing or purchasing such material actively encourages the abuse and exploitation of other children. A debate as to whether online images of child abuse leads to the abuse of children is, in one very important respect, redundant. These images are the abuse of children.It cannot be stressed enough that every image that is created, downloaded or shared is a separate act of exploitation, violation and abuse. Accessing or purchasing such material actively encourages the abuse and exploitation of other children. A debate as to whether online images of child abuse leads to the abuse of children is, in one very important respect, redundant. These images are the abuse of children.
There also seems to be a strong association between possession of abuse imagery and the commission of acts of abuse. One US study found that in both 2000 and 2006, one in six cases that began with police investigating suspected possession of indecent images detected offenders who had themselves molested children. The huge academic challenge is to understand whether this relationship might be causal. It could simply be that individuals with an urge to commit sadistic or paedophiliac sexual acts will also be drawn to sadistic or paedophiliac images.There also seems to be a strong association between possession of abuse imagery and the commission of acts of abuse. One US study found that in both 2000 and 2006, one in six cases that began with police investigating suspected possession of indecent images detected offenders who had themselves molested children. The huge academic challenge is to understand whether this relationship might be causal. It could simply be that individuals with an urge to commit sadistic or paedophiliac sexual acts will also be drawn to sadistic or paedophiliac images.
Despite the proliferation of abuse imagery, criminologists across the world are reporting surprising trends. Wherever there is reliable data, rates of child sexual abuse appear to be either remaining constant or declining, sometimes significantly. In the US from 1990 to 2007, cases of substantiated sexual abuse dropped by 53%. In 12 years to 2005, sexual assault against 12- to 17-year-olds fell by 52%. Research in American schools has shown the same trends, with falls of 28-30% in self-reported abuse since the mid-1990s.Despite the proliferation of abuse imagery, criminologists across the world are reporting surprising trends. Wherever there is reliable data, rates of child sexual abuse appear to be either remaining constant or declining, sometimes significantly. In the US from 1990 to 2007, cases of substantiated sexual abuse dropped by 53%. In 12 years to 2005, sexual assault against 12- to 17-year-olds fell by 52%. Research in American schools has shown the same trends, with falls of 28-30% in self-reported abuse since the mid-1990s.
It is almost certainly a myth that child abuse is a modern problem, or a consequence of sexual liberalisation and the permissive society. Early erotica "classics" such as The Pearl and Fanny Hill contain breezy and shameless descriptions of child rape. Historians must allow for changing assumptions around sexual maturity and consent, but it is not true that criminal child sexual abuse is a recent social construction. In Psychopathia Sexualis, Krafft-Ebing reported that between 1851 and 1875, 22,017 cases of rape were heard by French courts, of which an astonishing 17,657 were against children.It is almost certainly a myth that child abuse is a modern problem, or a consequence of sexual liberalisation and the permissive society. Early erotica "classics" such as The Pearl and Fanny Hill contain breezy and shameless descriptions of child rape. Historians must allow for changing assumptions around sexual maturity and consent, but it is not true that criminal child sexual abuse is a recent social construction. In Psychopathia Sexualis, Krafft-Ebing reported that between 1851 and 1875, 22,017 cases of rape were heard by French courts, of which an astonishing 17,657 were against children.
If the statistics are correct, the recent proliferation of abuse imagery is not driving a parallel surge in abusive acts, excepting the specific victims of the pornographers. It could be that viewing such material does increase the probability of an individual committing abuse, but that this has been cancelled out statistically by better investigation, protection and awareness. More disturbingly, just as international air travel allowed abusers like Gary Glitter to shift their behaviour to the impoverished east Asia, the internet may be allowing western societies to effectively outsource their abuse to victims in the developing world.If the statistics are correct, the recent proliferation of abuse imagery is not driving a parallel surge in abusive acts, excepting the specific victims of the pornographers. It could be that viewing such material does increase the probability of an individual committing abuse, but that this has been cancelled out statistically by better investigation, protection and awareness. More disturbingly, just as international air travel allowed abusers like Gary Glitter to shift their behaviour to the impoverished east Asia, the internet may be allowing western societies to effectively outsource their abuse to victims in the developing world.
The picture is complex and the evidence is inconclusive. Attempts to explain rare acts of exceptional cruelty upon a single factor are usually misguided. As well as looking at Hazell's criminal browsing history, it might also be worth looking at his criminal family history, likely to be peppered with emotional and physical neglect, violence and abuse. While researchers try to unpick the issues, the rest of us should remember that cruel, sadistic acts long predate the internet and the temptation to grab at easy explanations does little to protect victims.The picture is complex and the evidence is inconclusive. Attempts to explain rare acts of exceptional cruelty upon a single factor are usually misguided. As well as looking at Hazell's criminal browsing history, it might also be worth looking at his criminal family history, likely to be peppered with emotional and physical neglect, violence and abuse. While researchers try to unpick the issues, the rest of us should remember that cruel, sadistic acts long predate the internet and the temptation to grab at easy explanations does little to protect victims.
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