Internet Vulnerability & Criminal Activity 6.2 – 10/10/2011 Child Enticement, Child Molestation, & Sexual Tourism

Methods of Child Exploitation Enticement “Inviting, persuading, or attempting to persuade a child to enter any vehicle, building, room, or secluded place with intent to commit an unlawful sexual act upon or with the person of said child” Pornography “Depictions of minors in sexual acts or provocative poses” Molestation “Any sexual behavior or activity that is abusive or nonconsensual toward a child – or sexual behavior that is specifically prohibited by state/federal law”

Methods of Child Exploitation Prostitution “The use of a child by others for sexual activities in return for remuneration or any other form of consideration” Sex Tourism “Traveling to a foreign country with the intent to engage in sexual activity with a child”

Tools of Child Molesters

Social Networking Sites MySpace, Facebook, Twitter

Crime potentials - Social Networks Too much personal information Registered Sex Offenders 744 total on MySpace Crimes against children Crimes against adults, unknown Easy for online predators to find targets Personal schedules posted online Stalking / Cyber stalking / Cyber bullying

Online Chat AOL, Web Based Chat Rooms

Crime Potential - Chat Rooms Child luring / Child molestation Grooming victims Exposure to inappropriate material Cyber stalking Cyber bullying Child pornography (photos, web cams) Kidnapping, murder Validation of deviant desires

321TeenChat.com No age verification No monitoring Parents in next room Adult predators Adolescent to Adolescent

Online Games

Crime Potential - Online Games May not follow Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating system Similar to chat rooms Predators find many potential victims May expose children to inappropriate material Potential for parental child abuse / neglect

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Kazaa, Limewire, Pirate Bay (Bit Torrent), Gnutella

Crime Potential - P2P Copyright violations Malware Uploading child pornography Downloading child pornography Private P2P networks Semi-anonymous

Web Cams

Crime Potential - Web Cams Child pornography production Child pornography possession Child exploitation Justin Berry Nearly nude photos Exposure Rape / Sexual assault

Child Molestation “And sexual behavior or activity that is abusive or nonconsensual toward a child – or sexual behavior that is specifically prohibited by state/federal law”

Child Molester vs. Pedophile Pedophile may not be a child molester Pedophile desires / fantasizes about sex with children, but may never act on desire Child molester may not be a pedophile Child molester may have sex with a child because of: Curiosity Availability Opportunity Desire to hurt child’s loved one

Child Molester Characteristics Male Adolescent - most molestations Adult - more victims w/ greater frequency Good at finding vulnerable children Low self-esteem Bad home life Economically/socially disadvantaged Communicates with child at child’s level

Child Molester Characteristics cont. Known to child Trusted adult Family member Online chat history Use a combination of deception, desensitization, & psychological conditioning to lure potential victim - Grooming Be friendly - reward w/ gifts & money Friendly trusting relationship w/ caregiver When relationship established, molestation begins May have several victims at different stages

Necessary Steps for Molester Must have motivation to sexually abuse a child Must overcome the molester’s internal inhibitions of molestation Must overcome external impediments to abuse Must have child available with no supervision Must overcome avoidance/resistance by child

Overcoming Victim’s Avoidance Show child adult porn Arouse curiosity Educate child Show child child &/or deviant porn Other children doing it Continue child’s exposure to porn Desensitize victim Convince child to allow molester to kiss/touch child Sex between child & molester

Preferential Molester Characteristics More intelligent Higher socio/economic bracket Criminal behavior Deviant sexual need - paraphilia Scripted, compulsive, fantasy driven Repeated fantasy creates need Make “needy” mistakes Pornography related to pedophilia

Situational Molester Characteristics Victimize children, but not a pedophile Child is available Have control over/live with child Think they can get away with it Curiosity Non-sexual need - power/anger/revenge Less intelligent Lower socio/economic class Opportunistic/impulsive Make stupid &/or sloppy mistakes Pornography, if collected, often violent in nature

Sex Tourism “traveling to a foreign country with the intent to engage in sexual activity with a child”

Sex Tourism Characteristics Men in western countries Visit developing/3 rd world counties To engage in illegal sex practices Internet – primary facilitator Important source of income for countries w/ weak economies

Sex Tourism Laws 18 U.S.C. § 2423 TRANSPORTATION OF MINORS (a) Transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. A person who knowingly transports an individual who has not attained the age of 18 years in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States, with intent that the individual engage in prostitution, or in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, shall be fined under this title and imprisoned not less than 10 years or for life. (b) Travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. A person who travels in interstate commerce or travels into the United States, or a United States citizen or an alien admitted for permanent residence in the United States who travels in foreign commerce, for the purpose of engaging in any illicit sexual conduct with another person shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both. (c) Engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places. Any United States citizen or alien admitted for permanent residence who travels in foreign commerce, and engages in any illicit sexual conduct with another person shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both. (d) Ancillary offenses. Whoever, for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain, arranges, induces, procures, or facilitates the travel of a person knowing that such a person is traveling in interstate commerce or foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both. (e) Attempt and conspiracy. Whoever attempts or conspires to violate subsection (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall be punishable in the same manner as a completed violation of that subsection. (f) Definition. As used in this section, the term "illicit sexual conduct" means (1) a sexual act (as defined in section 2246 [18 USCS § 2246]) with a person under 18 years of age that would be in violation of chapter 109A [18 USCS §§ 2241 et seq.] if the sexual act occurred in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States; or (2) any commercial sex act (as defined in section 1591 [18 USCS § 1591]) with a person under 18 years of age. (g) Defense. In a prosecution under this section based on illicit sexual conduct as defined in subsection (f)(2), it is a defense, which the defendant must establish by a preponderance of the evidence, that the defendant reasonably believed that the person with whom the defendant engaged in the commercial sex act had attained the age of 18 years.

Category of Sex Tourists Preferential abuser Pedophile Situational Abuser Opportunity arises Abuser’s justifications Child has ‘chosen’ that ‘profession’ Child chooses to do this so child is consenting Child ultimately benefits monetarily Victim is ‘inferior’, deserving of exploitation

Effects on Victims Sexually related diseases Risk of physical violence or death Psychological damage Suicide and substance abuse Common feelings: Shame Guilt Low self-esteem Stigmatism Betrayal Sleeplessness Hopelessness Depression

Why Kids are Susceptible Emotional immaturity Easy to manipulation and intimidation Desire for attention, validation, and affection Lack of caution and self-preservation Taught to obey adults Less likely to know when not to do so Embarrassed to tell parent or trusted adult Sex or other “forbidden topics” Tattletale

Sources FAQ_ENG_2008.pdf