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9 Psychiatry Psychol. & L. 79 (2002)
Child Pornography and the Internet: Policing and Treatment Issues

handle is hein.journals/psylaw9 and id is 85 raw text is: Child Pornography and the Internet: Policing and Treatment Issues Anne Burke Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia Shawn Sowerbutts Sexual Offenders Treatment and Assessment Program, South Australia Barry Blundell and Michael Sherry South Australian Police Department A recent increase in the number of referrals for individuals who have accessed child pornography over the Internet has led to a need for clinicians to familiarise themselves with the language and concepts associated with this type of sexual offence. A brief review of the area highlights the legal dilemmas posed by the nature of the Internet. While definitional issues are a primary focus in legal processes, a demonstrated sexual arousal to children is more relevant in therapy. Modifications of traditional treatment approaches are suggested to facilitate therapeutic progress for this population. Discussion focuses on the early motivation for treatment, cognitive distor- tions, victim impact and cycles of offending behaviour. This work is offered as an early intervention to prevent potential future progression to hands-on sexual offending against children. Sex is the most searched topic on the Internet (Cooper, Scherer, Boeis, & Gordon, 1999). In cyber-space it is possible to discuss sex, see live sex acts and arrange sexual activities in complete privacy. Individuals can choose to participate in sex related discussions on the chat channels, as well as to exchange images with other users. Some child sex offenders use these services to access, trade and create child pornography, to meet and offend against potential victims, to network with other offenders, to profit financially and to locate individ- uals with similar interests (Cullen 1997; Zwicke, 2000). However, according to O'Connell (2001), the trading of child pornography/eiotica is perhaps the most visible and distinctive feature of ped- ophilic activity on the Internet. Over recent times, an increased number of referrals to the Sexual Offender Treatment and Assessment Program (SOTAP) for individuals who have accessed child pornography on the Internet, has shown the need for clinicians to better under- stand the language and concepts of the Internet that are raised in the therapeutic context. In order to more fully understand the process our clients had followed in accessing child pornography on the Internet, we called on the expertise of the Child Presented at the ANZAPPL Conference, Melboume, 2001 Correspondence to: Shawn Sowerbutts, Sexual Offenders Treatment and Assessment Program (SOTAP), PO Box 2554, Kent Town SA 5071. Australia Email: aburkelmail.rah.sgov.au or shawn.sowerbutts@dhs.sagov.au PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW 79 VOLUME 9 NUMBER I 2O2 p. 79-4

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