Child Sexual Exploitation Material Research Articles

Child sexual exploitation material offenses: differences in individual and case characteristics based on how they came to attention of police

ABSTRACT There is global demand for methods to prioritize child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) investigations. Previous research comparing online CSEM offenders based on how they were detected found potentially meaningful differences in offense and individual characteristics, including factors relating to targets for prioritization, such as risk of other offending. The present study builds on this work by providing an in-depth comparison of the individual characteristics and offending behavior of a sample of 336 men convicted of CSEM offenses, divided into four detection groups: (1) those reported by others; (2) those identified during another police investigation; (3) those identified due to their online web purchases or downloads, and; (4) those detected during proactive online police investigations. As a group, the riskiest individuals were detected by reports of others and during other investigations (Cohen’s f = .25). This finding suggests that it is important to search for CSEM when doing other police investigations, particularly those involving allegations of sexual offending or crimes against children. Risk relevant information may also assist prioritization, though it will depend on the information available at different points in an investigation and may require the use of professional judgement in approximating evidence of robust risk factors.

Reoffending after convictions related to child sexual exploitation material: Data from the German Federal Central Criminal Register

BackgroundAs digitalization has made it easier to produce, copy, and distribute child sexual exploitation material (CSEM), the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse images has become more widespread. Thus, the need to assess the risk of subsequent sex offenses – above all, sexual abuse of children by individuals who have been convicted of CSEM offenses – becomes more and more important. ObjectiveThe main objective of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of the respective size of two groups of offenders: first, offenders who commit CSEM offenses without ever crossing the line to sexual abuse of children, and second, so-called crossover offenders, that is, individuals who commit CSEM offenses and engage in child sexual abuse. Identification of differences between these two groups facilitates analyzing the risk that someone convicted of a CSEM offense might in the future sexually assault children. MethodWe used data from the German Federal Central Criminal Register (Bundeszentralregister), a data set that includes information about all persons convicted of any criminal offense, including “child pornography” offenses, by a court in Germany. ResultsFor persons convicted of CSEM offenses only, with no additional concurring sex offenses, the rate of subsequent convictions for child sexual abuse is very low (1.1 % after a six-year follow-up period, adult offenders). This risk is even lower if offenders are older than 30 years of age, and it is slightly higher for offenders with previous offense-specific convictions (i.e., previous sex offenses). ConclusionsThe mere existence of a conviction for a CSEM offense is not an indication that the convicted person poses a significant risk of committing child sexual abuse. To pinpoint such a risk more accurately, the following factors should be examined: the existence of offense-specific prior records, the presence of crossover-offending in the form of concurring offenses, and the age of the offender.

What Risk Assessment Tools can be Used With Men Convicted of Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM) Offenses? Recommendations From a Review of Current Research

What Risk Assessment Tools can be Used With Men Convicted of Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM) Offenses? Recommendations From a Review of Current Research

The CPORT and Risk Matrix 2000 for Men Convicted of Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM) Offenses: A Predictive Accuracy Comparison and Meta-Analysis

The CPORT and Risk Matrix 2000 for Men Convicted of Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM) Offenses: A Predictive Accuracy Comparison and Meta-Analysis

The CPORT and Risk Matrix 2000 for Men Convicted of Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM) Offenses: A Predictive Accuracy Comparison and Meta-Analysis

There is demand for valid risk assessment of individuals with child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) offenses. We compared the predictive performance of the Risk Matrix 2000/Sex (RM2000/S) and the Child Pornography Offender Risk Tool (CPORT) among 365 men convicted of CSEM offenses. In fixed 5-year follow-up analyses, the CPORT (area under the curve [AUC] = .73) had significantly higher predictive accuracy than the RM2000/S (AUC = .66) for any sexual recidivism. The predictive difference for CSEM recidivism was not statistically significant. A meta-analysis found the CPORT had large effects in predicting sexual recidivism (AUC = .75) and moderate accuracy for CSEM recidivism (AUCs = .65 and .66), while the RM2000/S had moderate accuracy in predicting any sexual recidivism (AUC = .66; insufficient studies of CSEM recidivism). Results suggest a tool developed specifically for CSEM offending, such as CPORT, may perform better at predicting any sexual recidivism than adapting a general sexual offending risk tool.

Secondary prevention of the use of online child sexual exploitation material: an initial overview of international efforts

ZusammenfassungDie Prävention des Konsums von Missbrauchsabbildungen von Kindern stellt die Gesellschaft vor eine Vielzahl neuer Herausforderungen und ist eine Priorität der Europäischen Union (EU). Neben der Identifizierung und strafrechtlichen Verfolgung von Personen, die Medien sexueller Gewalt an Kindern nutzen, besteht in der EU auch der Wunsch, diese Verbrechen zu verhindern, bevor sie (wieder) geschehen. Da sich in den letzten Jahren die Anzahl der gemeldeten Fälle des Konsums von Missbrauchsabbildungen im Hellfeld immer wieder verdoppelt hat, kommt der Sekundärprävention dabei eine bedeutende Rolle zu. Basierend auf allgemeinen Präventionsmodellen gibt dieser Artikel einen europabezogenen Überblick über ausgewählte sekundäre Präventionsprogramme und Interventionsansätze. Ziel des Artikels ist es, Fachpersonen aus Wissenschaft, Politik und Versorgung im deutschsprachigen Raum über bestehende Präventionsansätze zu informieren und dadurch bei der Gestaltung und Umsetzung maßgeschneiderter Präventionsmaßnahmen zu unterstützen. Einleitend wird auf die aktuellen Klassifikationskriterien der Europäischen Kommission eingegangen, die dem besseren Verständnis von Programmen zur Prävention von sexuellem Missbrauch von Kindern dienen sollen. Im Folgenden wird 1) auf Ansätze der sekundären Prävention in Form von präventiver Abschreckung durch Strafverfolgungsbehörden eingegangen und die Bedeutung der übergreifenden Zusammenarbeit mit verschiedenen Interessenvertretern wie Technologieunternehmen (z. B. Microsoft) und Nichtregierungsorganisationen (z. B. International Hotline Operators of Europe) aufgezeigt. Hierbei geht es u. a. um die Verhinderung von Tatgelegenheiten und Abschreckung potenzieller Konsumenten von Missbrauchsabbildungen durch die Ermittlungsbehörden. Weiterhin wird 2) anhand von psychosozialen Interventionsanbietern, wie Lucy Faithfull Foundation, Stop it Now! Helpline, Präventionsprojekt PARAPHILE, „Kein Täter werden“ und weiteren sekundären Präventionsangeboten in Deutschland, beispielhaft die Zunahme der Heterogenität von Präventionsanbietern aufgezeigt. Abschließend werden bestehende Herausforderungen der Prävention des Konsums von Missbrauchsabbildungen diskutiert.

ACUTE-2007 and STABLE-2007 predict recidivism for men adjudicated for child sexual exploitation material offending.

Risk assessment is essential to effective correctional practice. For individuals with contact sexual offenses, many risk tools are available. There are fewer options, however, for individuals whose sexual offending exclusively involves child sexual exploitation materials (CSEM; legally referred to in Canada and the United States as child pornography). The present study examined the predictive validity of the ACUTE-2007 and STABLE-2007 sexual recidivism risk tools among men with CSEM offenses. We expected these tools to show moderate predictive validity across study groups. We compared the scales' discrimination and calibration across three groups: (a) 1,042 men with contact sexual offenses against children (baseline comparison), (b) 228 men with exclusive CSEM offending (no contact sexual offenses), and (c) 80 men with both contact sexual offenses and CSEM offenses. We found that the ACUTE-2007 and STABLE-2007 total scores and items had comparable (and often better) discrimination for men with CSEM offending compared with contact sexual offending against children in the prediction of any sexual recidivism, violent recidivism, and any recidivism. Calibration analyses indicated that the overall sexual recidivism rates for the median ACUTE-2007 and STABLE-2007 scores were similar for men with exclusive CSEM offenses compared with men with any contact offending against children. Almost all of the sexual recidivism for the CSEM-exclusive group involved further CSEM offenses. This study supports the use of these tools to rank-order men with CSEM offending in terms of their risk of reoffending and to help direct treatment and management efforts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Current State and Legal Issues of Online Crimes Related to Children and Adolescents.

There are two categories of online crimes related to children and adolescents: those committed by adolescents and those committed against children and adolescents. While recent trends in criminal law show consensus on strengthening punishment in cases of crimes against children and adolescents, there are mixed stances in cases of juvenile delinquency. One perspective emphasizes strict punishment, whereas the other emphasizes dispositions aligned with human rights. While various forms of online crime share the commonality in that the main part of the criminal act occurs online, they can be categorized into three types: those seeking financial gain, those driven by sexual motives, and those engaged in bullying. Among these, crimes driven by sexual motives are the most serious. Second-hand trading fraud and conditional (sexual) meeting fraud fall under the category of seeking financial gain and occur frequently. Crimes driven by sexual motives include obscenity via telecommunication, filming with discrete cameras, child and adolescent sexual exploitation material, fake video distribution, and blackmail/coercion using intimate images/videos ("sextortion"). These crimes lead to various legal issues such as whether to view vulgar acronyms or body cams that teenagers frequently use as simple subcultures or crimes, what criteria should be applied to judge whether a recorded material induces sexual desire or shame, and at what stage sexual grooming becomes punishable. For example, sniping posts, KakaoTalk prisons, and chat room explosions are tricky issues, as they may or may not be punished depending on the case. Particular caution should be exercised against the indiscriminate application of a strict punishment-oriented approach to the juvenile justice system, which is being discussed in relation to online sexual offenses. In the punishment case of online crime, juvenile offenders with a high potential for future improvement and reform must be treated with special consideration.

Short text classification approach to identify child sexual exploitation material

Producing or sharing Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM) is a severe crime that Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) fight daily. When the LEA seizes a computer from a potential producer or consumer of the CSEM, it analyzes the storage devices of the suspect looking for evidence. Manual inspection of CSEM is time-consuming given the limited time available for Spanish police to use a search warrant. Our approach to speeding up the identification of CSEM-related files is to analyze only the file names and their absolute paths rather than their content. The main challenge lies in handling short and sparse texts that are deliberately distorted by file owners using obfuscated words and user-defined naming patterns. We present two approaches to CSEM identification. The first employs two independent classifiers, one for the file name and the other for the file path, and their outputs are then combined. Conversely, the second approach uses only the file name classifier to iterate over an absolute path. Both operate at the character n-gram level, whereas novel binary and orthographic features are presented to enrich the text representation. We benchmarked six classification models based on machine learning and convolutional neural networks. The proposed classifier has an F1 score of 0.988, which can be a promising tool for LEAs.

The prevalence of mental disorders among incarcerated adult men convicted of child sexual exploitation material offences.

Despite the growing body of research on individuals convicted of child sexual exploitation material (CSEM), relatively little is known about the prevalence of mental disorders in this population. The aim of the present study was to describe the prevalence of mental disorders among individuals convicted of CSEM offenses. This cross-sectional study examined data from 66 individuals serving a sentence for CSEM offenses in the Austrian prison system who underwent a clinical assessment between 2002 and 2020. Diagnoses were based on the German version of the Structured Clinical Interview for Axis I and Axis II disorders. In the total sample, n=53 individuals (80.3%) were diagnosed with a mental disorder. Twenty-seven individuals (40.9%) had an Axis I disorder and n=47 (71.2%) had an Axis II disorder. More than two-thirds of the sample, n=47 (71.2%), had a personality disorder diagnosis, with cluster B personality disorders being the most frequent mental disorders. More than half of the sample, n=43 (65.2%), had a diagnosis of pedophilic disorder, of which n=9 (13.6%) were of the exclusive type. Twenty-eight persons (42.4%) showed evidence of a hypersexual disorder. In line with previous research, the present sample of convicted CSEM offenders showed a comparatively high prevalence of personality disorders and paraphilic disorders, particularly pedophilic disorders. Additionally, the rate of hypersexual disorder symptoms was considerably high. These findings should be considered for the development of successful risk management strategies for this population.

Technical profiles of child sexual exploitation material offenders

The idiographic technical profiles of child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) offenders provide insight into their behaviours and context for their interactions with technology, but minimal quantitative work has been done to evaluate their sociability, technical ability and technophilia compared to non-offenders. This work used an online survey to compare an offender group consisting of English-speaking adults previously convicted of CSEM offenses (N = 78) with a reference population of non-offenders (N = 254). The survey assessed sociability, technical ability and technophilia through self-rating and information on occupation, level of education and device ownership. The study found that CSEM offenders had slightly lower sociability than non-offenders, though not at a level of clinical interest. Additionally, CSEM offenders had no statistically significant difference in technical ability and lower overall technophilia when compared to non-offenders. This study fails to support popular perceptions of CSEM offenders being technically savvy loners who are early adopters of new technologies.

Temporal order of sexual offending is risk-relevant for individuals with child sexual exploitation materials offences

The current study examined the extent to which the temporal order of sexual offending may be risk-relevant for men with Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM; also referred to as child pornography) offences. We categorized 85 men who had committed two distinct sexual offences (CSEM or contact sexual offence) into three groups: (1) 47% (n = 40) followed a stable pattern, that is, men with CSEM offences who then committed a new CSEM offence; (2) 41% (n = 35) followed a de-escalation pattern, that is, men with contact sexual offences who then committed a CSEM offence; (3) and 12% (n = 10) followed an escalation pattern, that is, men with CSEM offences who then committed a contact sexual offence. Compared to the other groups, the stable group had more sexual interest in children, the de-escalation group had a younger age at first police involvement and more prior offending, and the escalation group had more substance use problems. We then examined recidivism (any new offence after the second sexual offence) and found that the escalation group had the highest 5-year and 7-year reoffending rates (start of follow-up: opportunity after the second sexual offence) for any crime, any non-sexual violence, any violence (including contact sexual offences), and any contact sexual recidivism. The de-escalation and stable groups had the highest CSEM recidivism rates. The current study suggests that ordering of offending within men adjudicated for CSEM offences is risk-relevant and that those who fit the escalation pattern may be at higher risk to reoffend.

Improving child sexual exploitation material investigations: Recommendations based on a review of recent research findings

Child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) investigations have emerged as an area of specialization that combines multiple skillsets. Recent research has reshaped how we view CSEM offenders – they have different offense-supportive cognitions from contact sex offenders, their use of technology is no longer based on anecdotal evidence, and approaches to investigative planning, interviewing and forensics have evolved. This paper summarizes select, relevant areas of recent research related to CSEM investigations, and makes evidence-based recommendations for evolving how we approach these efforts. Current trends from other domains, including contact tracing and mental health considerations in a remote-working environment are additionally addressed.

Correspondence of Child Age and Gender Distribution in Child Sexual Exploitation Material and Other Child Content With Age and Gender of Child Sexual Assault Victims.

Accessing child sexual exploitation material (CSEM; child pornography in legal statutes) can indicate sexual interest in children. It logically follows then that the age and gender of the depicted children may reflect specific interests in those age/gender groups, and if so, may correspond to age and gender of any known contact offending victims. We had data on CSEM characteristics and child victims for 71 men convicted of CSEM offenses who also had contact sexual offenses against children; some had also sexually solicited children online. Sixty-four men had 134 prior or concurrent child victims, and 14 men reoffended directly against 17 children during follow-up. There were significant, positive associations (with moderate to large effect sizes) between age and gender of children depicted in CSEM and age and gender of child contact or solicitation victims. Examining future offending, though with only 14 recidivists, all men who sexually reoffended against a girl had more girl CSEM content, and all men who sexually reoffended against a boy had more boy CSEM content. Our results suggest that CSEM characteristics can reflect child preferences. This information can be relevant in clinical settings, police investigations, and community risk management, though it does not rule out interest in, or offending against, victims of other ages or gender. We discuss these findings in the context of other evidence regarding victim cross-over, and suggest future research.

Child sexual exploitation material offenders, one-size-fits-all for? Exploring tailored clinical dimensions based on cognitive and behavioural criminogenic factors.

Interventions for individuals involved in sexual offending behaviours are likely to be more effective if adapted to focus on their specific characteristics, suggesting that men who engage in sexual offences against children over the Internet should be treated differently from those who have actual physical contact against children. The goal of this study is to explore possible associations between the criminogenic cognitions and behaviours of men using online child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) and variables relevant to intervention. We hypothesised that antisocial tendencies, sexual, emotional and relational problems and self-regulation problems, as well as cognitive distortions would be associated with CSEM use. Ninety-eight men who had been convicted of at least one online CSEM-related offence, but no child contact sexual offences, at any time between 2001 and 2020 were recruited in the province of Quebec (Canada). Cases were reviewed to identify cognitive and behavioural criminogenic factors according to a coding sheet developed after reference to prior literature. Variables were extracted from official criminal records, sexological and psychological reports, as well as investigative and forensic reports and interviews. Exploratory factor analysis was carried out to identify potentially relevant dimensions. Analysis confirmed five distinct factors which, together, accounted for 60% of the variance: dissocial traits, dysfunctional intimacy, passive alienation (internalised sense of alienation), normless alienation (social norms experienced as alien) and coping with threat. Because online CSEM-related offenders present heterogeneous risks and needs, a 'one-size-fits-all' intervention is unlikely to be optimal for most of them. Our findings suggest a way of classifying risks and needs to facilitate more focused interventions. Future research should evaluate the relative effectiveness of general interventions compared to those tailored towards the dimensions of risks and needs identified in this study.

"It was in Control of Me": Notions of Addiction and Online Child Sexual Exploitation Material Offending.

This paper focuses on notions of "addiction" among users of online child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) through a comparative analysis of two qualitative studies. The first is a 17-month anthropological ethnography (participant observation, interviews, and focus groups) in UK group programs for CSEM users, and the second is based on interviews with individuals in sexual offense treatment units of a US prison. We thematically analyze the narratives of 103 CSEM users at different timepoints and settings from pre-trial to incarceration. Those citing "addiction" focused on three areas. First was pornography progression. Second were perceived indicators of "addiction" and alignment/analogy to other addictions, including ideas about losing control; ignoring detrimental consequences and continuing; physiological signs similar to withdrawal; likening to substances; and progression from "softer" to "harder" material. Third, less common was rejecting the "addiction" label, citing choice and responsibility. We situate these results within debates and literature regarding pornography and Internet "addiction"; implications of the label; societal conceptions of sexual offending; harms of CSEM; and treatment/prevention considerations. Lastly, highlighting the merit of interdisciplinary comparative qualitative analysis, we demonstrate similarities in narratives despite differences in location, timeframe, setting, conviction status, intervention programming, and research methods.

Suicidal ideation in offenders convicted of child sexual exploitation material offences.

Understanding the prevalence of suicidal ideation in Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM) offenders and their psychological concerns provides the basis for early treatment and intervention. This research solicited responses (n = 78) via an anonymous, web‐based survey from adults in the United States previously convicted of CSEM offences. Significant suicidal ideation was present in 73% of respondents (n = 57), and 19% (n = 15) reported attempting suicide after they were made aware of an investigation, with 41% (n = 32) stating they would have been likely to seek counselling if provided a contact. Most of the respondents felt they were not treated with fairness, understanding, and compassion by investigators, and that their primary psychological strains were going to jail and their families finding out. This research highlights the need for more empathetic investigative approaches, as well as the need for more rapid assessment and treatment of proximal suicide risk in this population.

Child Sex Trafficking in Higher Education

ABSTRACT Using a pragmatic exploratory sequential mixed methods design in data collection and analysis (QUAL quan), this study analyzes 223 child sex trafficking investigations, arrests, and/or prosecutions within the United States (U.S.) higher education workforce. Despite growing awareness of the crime, research on child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) is surprisingly scant with a near total absence of perpetrator data. This is the first examination of the crime in U.S. tertiary education. Policy recommendations, guided by the research results, contribute to progress in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focused on anti-trafficking: Gender Equality (SDG 5.2) and Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions (SDG 16.2).

TECHNICAL BEHAVIOURS OF CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION MATERIAL OFFENDERS

An exploration of the technological behaviours of previously convicted child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) offenders provides a foundation for future applied research into deterrence, investigation, and treatment efforts. This study evaluates the technology choices and transitions of individuals previously convicted of CSEM offenses. Based on their inclusion in two sex offender registries, anonymous survey results (n=78) were collected from English-speaking adults within the United States. CSEM offenders chose technologies based on both utility and perceived risk; peer-to-peer and web-browsers were the most common gateway technologies and showed substantial sustained usage; a substantial minority of users never stored CSEM and only viewed it; most respondents used more than one technology to view CSEM; CSEM offenders used more countermeasures than the public but did not use encryption at higher rates; almost all CSEM consumers started viewing adult SEM first; and countermeasures were used primarily to reduce psychological strain (anxiety).

The awareness of sexting among growing up children and teenagers living in a small town

An article entitled 'The Awareness of Sexting among Growing up Children and Teenagers Living in a Small Town' describes not new but constantly evolving issue of sharing intimate pictures or videos on the Internet due to the development of technological devices. Selected terminology, like, self gendered content, child grooming, child sexual abuse material - CSAM or child sexual exploitation material - CSEM, is explained. The following part is devoted to introducing the research conducted on 422 respondents from primary schools and high schools located in a small town near Radom and summarising its results. The final part presents unpleasant, for young people, consequences of irresponsible behaviour on the Internet which may lead to serious psychological disorders in their future life.