My comments may be in any colour, quotations are always in pale blue.
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For Moore, what Sade’s work
ultimately brings to light is the "shadow self" that exists within each
individual. This part of the self is consigned to the shadows of our own
being by forces and rules from without. Motivated by the fear that our
true nature will be rejected by broader society, we force our very being
to conform to expectations not of its making. Despite its pariah status,
this side of the self strives to find an outlet for expression, to be
granted legitimacy in a polite setting where this cannot be granted. That
these impulses form our shadow, darker half becomes a self-fulfilling
prophecy: if the expectation is that these parts of our very selves are
bad, that is how we ourselves will come to view them, and how they
themselves will find expression. Yes, I admit I'm a libertine: I've
conceived everything one can conceive in that genre, but I've surely not
done all I've imagined and surely will never do it. I'm a libertine, but
I'm not a criminal or a murderer. |
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terminology, interpretation and fear are causing many confusions and difficulties.
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Addiction and Dependency | ||
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Brown’s Checklist of the Common Components of Addiction: | ||
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What is Internet Addiction? | ||
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The Internet itself is a neutral device originally
designed to facilitate research among academic and military agencies. How
some people have come to use this medium, however, has created a stir
among the mental health community by great discussion of Internet
addiction. Addictive use of the Internet is a new phenomenon which many
practitioners are unaware of and subsequently unprepared to treat. Some
therapists are unfamiliar with the Internet, making its seduction
difficult to understand. Other times, its impact on the individual’s life
is minimized. The purpose of this chapter is to enable clinicians to
better detect and treat Internet addiction. The chapter will first focus
on the complications of diagnosis of Internet addiction. Second, the
negative consequences of such Internet abuse are explored. Third, how to
properly assess and identify triggers causing the onset of pathological
Internet use are discussed. Fourth, a number of recovery strategies are
presented. Lastly, since Internet addiction is an emergent disorder,
implications for future practice are presented. | ||
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What is Cybersexual Addiction? | ||
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Cybersexual Addiction has become a specific
sub-type of Internet addiction. It has been estimated that 1 in 5 Internet
addicts are engaged in some form of on-line sexual activity (primarily
viewing cyberporn and/or engaging in cybersex). Early studies show that
men are more likely to view cyberporn, while women are more likely to
engage in erotic chat. | ||
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The Warning Signs of Cybersexual Addiction | ||
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>Routinely spending significant amounts of time
in chat rooms and private messaging with the sole purpose of finding
cybersex. | ||
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As the internet is a relatively new phenomenon, classification of people with associated problems has not yet been fully described the sexological or psychological/psychiatric literature. However, psychological factors cited for such misuse of the internet for sexual purposes include: 1. Depression, specifically hypomania. 2. Compulsive disorders, compared to gambling or eating disorders. 3. Anxiety and stress relief, offering an escape into fantasy. 4. A sexual dysfunction, such as erectile impotence, whihc makes sexual intercourse difficult or impossible. 5. Lack of social skills to form relationships. The Triple A engine is a term that refers to the internet as offering three factors at the core of its effect on some vulnerable people, namely Accessibility, Affordability and Anonymity, (the last as believed by the user). In ones own home almost any type or variety of sexual material can be viewed, often there is no direct cost involved, although users can pay to join specific groups to receive regular material, Usually this behaviour is anonymous, but if apprehended modern techniques enable such downloading to be traced. The most vulnerable people are those who do have paraphilic urges, but in past times have been able to control them. With access to the internet, The Triple A engine is too much for them and they cannot resist their urges, especially if they are undergoing g a period of stress, depression or anxiety. Furthermore, such users, often experience rapid habituation and a flattening of response to the material viewed so that the nature and frequency of use has to increase to maintain their arousal levels. Salience occurs when the patient (?) spends an increasing amount of time thinking and fantasising about the internet, as well as spending inordinate amounts of time using it, often to the detriment of family life and work. Extracts from WebManager's psychosexual report, 2003 | ||
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Are You a Cybersex Addict? | ||
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The OSA-Q was developed to help people to identify
if they might be having a problem with their online sexual behaviour. The
OSA-Q is a 24-item questionnaire that was developed based on signs and
symptoms of sexual addiction and how they might appear in relation to
online sexual behaviour. It is important to note that the questionnaire is
not a psychological test; it has not been researched and its psychometric
properties are currently unknown (i.e., reliability and validity). At the
present time the OSA-Q is only a self-exploration tool. Individuals who
use the OSA-Q that think they have a problem with sexual addiction are
referred to seek a state licensed psychotherapist who specializes in the
treatment of sexual problems. Cybersex Blamed for Half of Divorces There's further evidence that cybersex is increasingly being blamed for the break-up of marriages. According to online divorce service divorce-online, half of all divorce petitions it processed are due to Internet adultery and cybersex behaviour. Of the 500 divorce petitions surveyed, half contained allegations concerning cybersex, inappropriate online relationships and pornography. The findings appear to support earlier studies into the Net and marriage break-up. Last year, two-thirds of lawyers meeting at an annual conference in Chicago reported that the Internet had played a significant role in divorces they had handled during the past year. Meeting a new lover online and an "obsessive" interest in pornography were the top two problems cited in many Internet-related divorce cases, they said. Other reasons that have led to the break down of marriages include excessive use of the Net and chat rooms. At the time, J Lindsey Short, Jr., president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, had this to say: "While I don't think you can say that the Internet is causing more divorces, it does make it easier to engage in the sorts of behaviours that traditionally lead to divorce." Tim Richardson, 11/09/2003, http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/32770.html | ||
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Of course, there is also debate about the validity of the condition of 'Cybersexual Addiction', particularly by those who make a living from its potential and application. I am very interested in paid academics, who work on the edge of 'extreme sexualities': WORLD CONGRESS OF SEXOLOGY, PARIS, 2001 Trudy Barber. TheWorld Congress of Sexology was held in the Palais des Congrès, Paris, June 2001. Trudy chaired a Symposium with Chiara Simonelli, and also presented a full paper with video excerpts. The Congress was attended by worldwide sexologists and academics, many from South America, Africa, Australia, Scandinavia and the USA. PRESENTATION ABSTRACT Implications of Computer Mediated Arousal: SM and the introduction of Cyberfetishism. In popular media, (in films such as The Matrix), images of computer users as 'cyberpunks' look more and more as if they appear from a sadomasochistic representation of sexual dominance and submission. The attire and accessories remind us of both the mechanistic and the sexual; the body fabrics of technology, are rubber, leather, PVC and stainless steel: A Sadomasochistic and fetishists dream. In my own analysis of the interaction within SM relationships, there is a doubling effect of the Dominant and Submissive role when enacted in Chat Rooms' in cyberspace. The tool of control being the computer instead of the whip. By the simple nature of the unreliability of cyberspace, the emotion of anticipation and (almost) danger of the situation accentuates the arousal factor. The actual textual domination and submission, and the dominant position of cyberspace as a tool for such interaction accentuates and hightens such emotions and preferences. As with all real time Dominant and Submissive games there is always a 'safe word' in use during the action of a specific scenario. In cyberspace there appears to be no safeword. The enactors rely entirely on trust. Trust through cyberspace: The ultimate sadomasochistic tool for compliance, submission and sublimation. The participants are enslaved by their computer mediated arousal. This paper will introduce the notion of fetishistic auto-erotic arousal generated by standard computer usage within an sadomasochistic framework. The computer, as an object in itself is, quite simply, the new sex fetish. | ||
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Exhibitors and posters displays were on show. Over 100 symposia were attended each with four or more presentations and discussions. Subject areas were varied, but tended more towards 'erectile dysfunctions' (ED) and the all important AIDS education and information. Social issues were also covered, as were subjects such as sexuality and religion, food and sexuality, extreme sexualities, transexualism et al. However cybersex addiction was covered at a symposia where, disturbingly, cybersex 'addiction' was defined and 'diagnosed' by as little as 7 hours per week on-line. 'Treatment' for a 'cure' involved lengthy psychotherapy and also drug therapy. This brought to mind early 'diagnosis' of homosexuality that had to be 'cured'. Trudy does NOT agree with notions of cybersex defined in this way. Trudy wishes to express her thanks to Dr. J. Mackay of the World Health Organisation for her kind words and support. To the Pfizer techies for saving the day at the last minute. Also a big thank you to Stu for archiving the event and providing some Parisian romance! http://www.inoohr.org/worldcongressonsexology.htm When I carry out a substantial update, I email a long list of people, who have commented upon, or profess to have an interest in, the sphere of paraphilias. I see that some do visit my site, but few respond, directly - I fully understand why that would be the case. Following an update email to Trudy, I received this reply: STOP SENDING ME STUFF FROM YOUR WEBSITE!! JUST BECAUSE I STUDY SEXUALITY DOESNT MEAN I'M A PEADOPHILE OR HAVE ANY SYMPATHIES FOR THEM FUCK OFF . Trudy Barber, UK University Academic, 2003 I replied to Trudy, for the last time, as follows: Thank you for your reply, You are removed from the list. However, if you truly are studying sexuality, and are responding in the manner you have, then you are not studying, only being selective in your bias. If you are a student, don't become a professional - it will destroy you. If you are a professional, you should be worried about you ability to do your job. Thank you, at least, for replying. WebManager, 2003 It is a shame that Trudy is unable to accept (for, she surely knows) that her research falls into the same, medico-legal, domain of sexuality as paedophilia. As we find, below, social scientists (at least in this area) do seem to have problem with the scientific method. This would be mildly irritating, if it were, only, an academic issue; we are talking about people's lives here. Professor Cleared of Child Porn Charges A university professor who downloaded hundreds of hardcore child porn images from the Internet walked free from court today after successfully claiming it was all for research purposes. Dr Thomasz Janiurek, 43, of Cwmifor, Newquay, west Wales, claimed he was doing groundbreaking research into the availability of child porn. The geography professor viewed 778 separate images of children whilst working at the University of Wales, in Lampeter, in the autumn of 2002. A jury at Swansea Crown Court took just over four hours today to find him not guilty of 24 separate charges of possessing indecent images. During the trial the prosecution claimed that Janiurek’s behaviour throughout had been that of a guilty man. Prosecutor Dyfed Thomas said that Janiurek had failed to tell any of his colleagues or his department what he was doing. He had taken no steps to check his position legally and had never approached the police. When a technician needed to check his computer for viruses he had sent him away saying he was busy. When the technician was admitted he discovered the history file on the machine, which shows which websites have recently been visited, had been wiped clean. A more thorough investigation eventually uncovered hundreds of images of children in various stages of undress on the computer hard drive. Mr Thomas had told the jury that the geography lecturer’s only object in accessing the sites was for his own sexual gratification. Janiurek, whose subject matter extends to human geography, insisted throughout that his only motive was one of academic research. Emma Smith, defending, had told the jury that the academic world was a different place. “His research was designed in part to break new ground and would help him make a critique of work done by other academics,” she had said. “What he was trying to do was refute claims of a lack of availability of such appalling images on the Internet.” She told the jury that the reason Janiurek had taken no notes of his work was because he was still thinking about how he was going to use it. “The defence case quite simply is this that was a logical progression of this man’s work. This was legitimate research,” said Mrs Smith. Antony Stone, PA News, Fri 30 Jan 2004, http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2473145 | ||
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Some Thoughts About the Issue of Pornography Including Minors | ||
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I will offer my thoughts, at this time, on this topic. I will then consider a few of my thoughts on the recent spate of entrapment/sting operations, their impact on the issue and the effect on those arrested. I will also offer a few thoughts on why the target audience is apparently skewed. | ||
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Stopping Pornography Including Minors | ||
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Now, I am almost certain that this is going to be the most controversial part of this site, but it is unavoidable. I have chosen ACPO http://www.antichildporn.org/ as a quality site, displaying all the appropriate arguments, in the most reasonable way. I can then make my responses and I will receive responses, in kind (though maybe not kind); it is a good starting point. | ||
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AntiChildPorn.Org (ACPO) is an organization,
comprised of volunteers from all around the world, whose mission is to
stop the sexual exploitation of the world's children. For the past two
years ACPO has been addressing the issues of Child Pornography production
and distribution via the Internet, as well as the predatory use of the
Internet for the sexual abuse of children. | ||
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The ACPO Statement |
My Response | |
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AntiChildPorn.Org (ACPO) is an organization, comprised of volunteers from all around the world, whose mission is to stop the sexual exploitation of the world's children ... |
I agree with the cessation of the creation of pornography including minors. At this time, there is no doubt that there are children and adults who suffer trauma from their early sexual activities. | |
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... as well as the predatory use of the Internet for the sexual abuse of children. |
The negative outcomes of predatory use of the Internet are insignificant in relation to where the real abuse occurs. | |
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Contrary to the claims of pro-child-abuse groups, child pornography is not just 'pictures'. |
This is our real stumbling block. I am certainly not part of a
pro-child-abuse group, so that is easy to cover. Exercise Extreme Caution http://free.freespeech.org/americanstateterrorism/AmericanStateTerrorism.html | |
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Child pornography is physical evidence of the sexual abuse of children. |
It may, indeed, be that and the outcome is unacceptable. | |
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Worse, child pornography is commonly used by predatory pedophiles to 'groom' potential victims, reducing the child-victim's inhibitions and encouraging them to perform acts similar to those depicted in the pornography. Further, pornography is used after-the-fact to re-enforce to the child that what their abuser has done to them is "ok" and "normal", further causing confusion and trauma in the child-victim's mind. |
Yes, I presume this does indeed occur and, as we agree, the outcome is
unacceptable. | |
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In addition to grooming the victims of childhood sexual abuse, child pornography also serves to reduce the reluctance of the abuser to seek and abuse a child sexually. By repeated exposure to pictures, stories, movies of children engaged in sexual acts, as well as pedophile virtual communities, the social taboos surrounding the abuse of children are weakened enough that the desire by the abuser to engage in sexual acts with children may overcome the abusers inhibitions. |
These were all the references I could find on the Internet, relating
pornography to the sexual abuse of children: | |
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Over the past year, the ACPO has witnessed the emergence of several alarming trends. First, the number and variety of pornographic pictures of children has been increasing at alarming rates. This trend may be partially due to the low-entry cost to produce child pornography offered by digital cameras. |
Yes - I agree with you. | |
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Alternatively, it is possible that we are witnessing an increase in the number of children abused as the result of greater availability of child pornographic material on the Internet, and the surge in pedophilic communities, such as fpc.net. |
Yes - it is certain, along with Usenet, MIRC, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, AOLIM, Netmeeting, WinMX, etc. etc. etc. etc. This is even without committing to specialist free or paying websites. | |
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Second, the level of violence depicted has been increasing. More and more pictures of violent nature are being produced depicting the rape and murder of children. A recent bust shows the level of violence to which this has escalated. |
Yes, there are apparent pictures of what you describe, but much in the way of the availability (and a probable similar increase) of torture, snuff or crush porn, much is posed and unreal, however, you may have seen material and, of course, those actions are totally unacceptable. I do notice you use the word depict. | |
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Finally, the production and sale of child pornography has become a major source of cash for organized crime. Advertisements for the production of child pornographic videos offer to 'film your fantasy' for only a few hundred dollars. |
Do they? - I pride myself in knowing quite a bit about the Internet and
I have not seen this - please give the URL. | |
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The problem with child pornography is so enormous, and so overwhelming for already taxed law enforcement resources. The US Department of Justice estimates the child pornographic market to be a $2 to 3 billion dollar-a-year market, making it one of the world's largest cottage industries. |
I believe you are describing only the tip of the iceberg of the availability of these materials. Money does not have to change hands - barter is sufficient, in online activity, pictures and even just words. See above. | |
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Only by a major commitment by the governments of the world to commit to this war for our children will we stand any hope of making this a child-friendly planet. |
Yes - I agree. | |
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Recent Entrapments/Stings |
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In a bid to show strength and solidarity, in tackling the distribution and ownership of pornography including minors, a number of national and international efforts have recently been carried out. In general, I accept that something must happen, because, regardless of what may seem to be the case for me, I was and will be a law-abiding citizen, as much as I am able. However, one has to question the ethics (which I will not comment upon), the effectiveness in securing convictions of the actual abusers (and the impact on the actual control and distribution of the pornography) and the effect on the life of many people (mainly men), who, for all intents and purposes, have looked at some pictures. | ||
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Name of Sting and Country |
Result | |
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The Wonderland Club, 2001, (UK) |
Child porn gang face jail | |
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The Wonderland Club, 2001, (Australian Report) |
Australian Broadcasting
Corporation | |
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The Wonderland Club, 2001, (UK Report) |
Panorama: The Wonderland Club | |
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The Wonderland Club, 7/03/01, (UK Business News) |
i2 software helps police smash Wonderland Club
paedophile ring | |
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The Wonderland Club, 13/02/01, (UK) |
Wonderland paedophiles are
sentenced | |
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Operation Candyman, 19/03/02, (USA) |
WASHINGTON — Federal authorities investigating an
Internet-based child pornography ring have arrested 40 people in 20
states, including two Catholic priests, youth baseball coaches, a civilian
law enforcement employee and a teacher's aide, Justice Department
officials said Monday. At least 27 of the suspects charged in what the FBI
calls Operation Candyman have admitted previous acts of child molestation
involving more than 36 children, officials said. | |
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Operation Candyman, 18/03/02, (USA) |
The FBI today announced that more than 89 persons
in over 20 states have been charged in the first phase of a nationwide
crackdown on the proliferation of child pornography via the Internet.
During the course of this investigative initiative, known as “Operation
Candyman,” over 266 searches have been conducted, with more searches
anticipated. To date, 27 persons have been arrested and admitted to the
prior molestation of over 36 children. More arrests are anticipated during
the week and in coming months. Individuals identified as subjects in
“Operation Candyman” include Little League coaches, a teacher’s aide, a
guidance counselor, school bus driver, foster care parent and
professionals in the medical, educational, military and law enforcement
fields. | |
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Operation Avalanche, 8/08/01, (USA) |
Announcement made by Attorney General John D.
Ashcroft, August 8, 2001. We are announcing the results of Operation
Avalanche -- a major initiative that combines the investigative resources
of the Department of Justice, the Dallas Police Department and U.S. Postal
Inspection Service. More than merely another successfully prosecuted case,
Operation Avalanche stands as a model of federal, state and local
cooperation in the investigation, prosecution and most importantly
prevention of the sexual exploitation of children. http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/ceos/op_av.htm | |
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3/08/02 (USA) |
Georgia police chief arrested in child porn
sting | |
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3/8/02, (New Zealand - son of Operation Candyman/Avalanche?) |
US agents act over NZ child
porn | |
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30/10/00, (Italy - father of Operation Candyman/Avalanche or son of The Wonderland Club?) |
Italian investigators break child porn ring in a
major online operation | |
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Operation Ore (UK),12-16/9/02, (UK - son of Operation Avalanche). |
Fifty police officers have been arrested on suspicion of accessing hardcore child pornography from an American website that may have been used by up to 7,300 Britons, senior investigators admitted yesterday. Details came as the Metropolitan police raided a series of homes across London yesterday and arrested 34 people with alleged links to the Candyman website, which was based in Texas. The operation, part of an ongoing inquiry codenamed Ore, was sparked when the US postal service closed down Candyman and two other similar sites, which are thought to have been used by more than 75,000 people worldwide in the late 1990s. Records of UK-based credit card numbers used to access the pay as you view service were passed to the national crime squad and individual forces earlier this year, and there have been a series of raids and computer seizures in Britain since May. Because of the numbers of people involved and the complexities of gathering evidence, police prioritised subscribers with previous sex convictions and those who worked in areas that brought them routinely in contact with children. So far, 1,300 people have been arrested by detectives, many of them careworkers, teachers, and social workers. Soldiers and surgeons have also been questioned. Forty children - 28 of them in London - have been taken into protective care, including 10 who are thought to have been the victim of multiple abuse. At a press conference yesterday, Carole Howlett, a deputy assistant commissioner at the Met, said: "Our priority so far has been to identify those individuals on the list that pose the greatest threat to children. But this process is ongoing, and it will continue, even though it is extremely resource-intensive." Ms Howlett, who speaks for the Association of Chief Police Officers on child protection issues, announced that the Home Office had agreed to allocate an extra £500,000 to support further action for Operation Ore, money that will be used to speed up the analysis of computers. Acpo had hoped for £2m and Ms Howlett said she was concerned that the investigation of child pornography was still not a ministerial priority. The Candyman inquiry has exposed the problems of investigating internet paedophilia and the lack of resources available to police forces. Ms Howlett said yesterday it could take officers up to two weeks just to establish the identities of subscribers from the credit card details. Jim Gamble, assistant chief constable of the national crime squad, said the police could not be reckless about making allegations of serious sex abuse. "We have to make sure we get it right," he said. "This has been a learning curve for us." He warned that those people who had logged on to the websites in the 90s and thought they were engaging in "innocent voyeurism" were in for a shock. "They would not have realised then that the police would be investigating this now. If you have a propensity for this kind of behaviour, we will find you." Mr Gamble refused to say whether any high-ranking officers were among the 50 who had been arrested. Eight of them have been charged, and the rest are on police bail. "As police officers, we should expect to be held accountable," he said. "Fifty police officers have been identified and we are not hiding that fact." Colin Turner, head of specialist investigations at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, said: "The arrests send out a strong warning to those that think they can remain anonymous by using the internet to trade in child abuse images. "Behind these indecent, abusive images, are real children who will have suffered immense damage and trauma." Nick Hopkins, The Guardian, 18/12/02 | |
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Two Soham officers face court on porn charges Two police officers involved in the Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells murder inquiry today appeared in court to face child pornography charges. Detective Constable Brian Stevens, 41, and PC Antony Goodridge, 34, attended a plea and direction hearing at Ipswich crown court, Suffolk. Mr Stevens pleaded not guilty to five counts of possessing an indecent photograph of a child between January 1 and September 13 last year. He pleaded not guilty to three charges of distributing an indecent photograph of a child between the same dates. He also denied three charges of indecent assault on two females under 16 between October 1998 and October 2001. Mr Stevens was a police family liaison officer appointed to the family of Jessica Chapman during the investigation into the disappearance and murder of the 10-year-old friends from Soham, Cambridgeshire. The officer was released on conditional bail and the case was adjourned for three weeks. Mr Goodridge - who was an exhibits officer during the Soham investigation - pleaded guilty to the possession of 330 indecent photographs of children. He pleaded not guilty to the distribution of an indecent photo of a child and also denied possession with a view to the distribution of an indecent photo of a child. Prosecutor Andrew Campbell-Tiech said the prosecution offered no evidence on these two charges. The court heard sentencing would be adjourned until March 28 for a pre-sentence report and a psychiatric assessment to be prepared. Mr Goodridge's conditional bail was extended until the hearing. Judge John Holt said Mr Goodridge should be aware that all sentencing options remained open. Guardian Unlimited, 31/1/03 Soham case Pc admits downloading child porn A policeman in the Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman murder inquiry pleaded guilty yesterday to downloading child pornography on his home computer. Many of the hundreds of pictures he had showed children being sexually assaulted. A judge warned Pc Tony Goodridge that he faced prison. He was an exhibits officer on the inquiry into the disappearance of the two 10-year-olds in Soham, Cambs, in August. Goodridge, 34, admitted possessing 330 indecent photographs of children at his home in Ely on Sept 12. Further charges relating to the distribution of an indecent photograph of a child were dismissed. Judge John Holt told the father of two that he faced the possibility of jail when he is sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court on March 28. Goodridge, who spoke only to confirm the pleas at yesterday's hearing, was released on conditional bail for psychiatric and probation reports before sentencing. He and Det Con Brian Stevens, who worked as a family liaison officer with Jessica's parents during the inquiry, were arrested on suspicion of child pornography offences on Sept 13. Their arrests had nothing to do with the Soham inquiry but came after their names allegedly appeared on an FBI list of more than 7,000 British computer users suspected of accessing a paedophile website in America. Peter Gair, prosecuting, told an earlier hearing: "It is often not possible to trace the children involved to prove the photos are real. They are clearly, we would argue, showing children in a state of undress and being sexually abused by others. "Police also seized a number of CD-roms and on these there were numerous indecent images of children. The images on the hard drive of his computer were saved in a folder called My Documents and were readily accessible to anyone using the computer." Mr Gair, who said video clips had also been found, added: "He was fully aware of what he was doing. He claimed it was due to pressures of work and raising a young family. "I am told he got some sexual gratification from viewing the images but he denied abusing children himself." Kevin McCarthy, defending, said: "There is no suggestion that he has ever interfered with his own children or anyone else's. None of these offences took place during his employment but while he was an ordinary citizen. "Before his arrest, he was a serving police officer. He was arrested and his world immediately went topsy-turvy. It left him upset, scared, frightened and, in a wider sense, vulnerable." Stevens, 41, of March, Cambs, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court in a separate hearing yesterday. He denied five charges of possessing indecent photographs of children between Jan 1 and Sept 19 and three charges of distributing indecent photographs of children between the same dates. He also denied two charges of indecently assaulting a girl under 16 between January and August 2001, and indecently assaulting a second girl under 16 between October 1998, and October 2001. Stevens, a father of two, was remanded on bail for three weeks. o Pc Christopher Lilley, 33, an officer with Nottinghamshire police, appeared at Chesterfield yesterday on nine charges of making indecent photographs of children. Lilley, of Mansfield Woodhouse, was bailed. David Sapsted, News.telegraph.co.uk,
3/2/03
Missing pilot faced child porn inquiry A maths teacher had been suspended from his job and was being investigated by police before he went missing in his light aircraft over the Channel, it emerged yesterday. Gerald Mepham, 55, vanished from RAF radar screens on Friday after taking off in his Piper Tomahawk single engine aircraft from Goodwood airfield in West Sussex and flying eight miles into the Channel. No distress signal was sent and no wreckage has been found. He had been suspended from the Priory school in Fratton, Portsmouth, over an allegation that he invited two of his pupils to pose for indecent photographs. The day before he disappeared, Portsmouth city council issued a statement: "A serious allegation has been made concerning a teacher at Priory school and, as a result of this, a teacher has been suspended while a full investigation is carried out." Hampshire police confirmed yesterday that a 55-year-old man had been arrested and bailed pending further inquiries. Goodwood airfield said Mr Mepham had set off at 3pm. He was not qualified to fly at night, and the emergency services were alerted when he had not returned by nightfall. A spokeswoman confirmed that Mr Mepham, who lives at Barnham in West Sussex, had started flying from Goodwood in 1994, and qualified as a pilot a year later. As well as police, two lifeboats, a coastguard helicopter, and two coastguard teams searched for the plane at the weekend. The Sussex police underwater search unit sent divers to a report of an oil slick close to Pagham harbour, near Chichester, but no trace of the aircraft was found. Sussex police said yesterday there was still a chance that Mr Mepham was alive but, if he was, they had no idea where he was. "He is still missing and we are still looking, but it is a needle in a haystack scenario," a spokesman said. "There were sightings on the radar of the plane heading out to sea and, as far as we know, he has not landed anywhere. So we believe it is more than likely that he crashed into the Channel." "There is also a possibility that he might have made it to France, or he could have done a u-turn. We just do not know where he is." He confirmed that the air accident investigation branch had been advised, and was preparing to investigate. The spokesman said he could not comment on allegations against Mr Mepham. "The inquiry is looking into the background of his disappearance. We would not comment on any investigation being carried out by a neighbouring force." The Guardian, 15/1/03
A deputy prison governor has been suspended from duty after being arrested as part of the same police inquiry into child pornography as the rock star Pete Townshend, it emerged yesterday. Police confirmed that Terry McLaren, who works at Bullingdon jail in Oxfordshire, had been arrested at his home near Banbury last week by Thames Valley officers investigating child porn offences as part of Operation Ore. Mr McLaren, one of several governors in charge of 900 male prisoners at the Category B training prison in Bicester, was later released on police bail. A prison service spokesman refused to comment, saying only: "It is a police matter." Before being appointed to one of the three governor positions at Bullingdon, which runs a course for sex offenders on one of its wings, Mr McLaren was a member of the national executive of the Prison Officers Association, and has previously defended colleagues who have fallen from grace. Meanwhile, David Blunkett, the home secretary, yesterday warned against hysteria over allegations of child pornography, in the wake of Townshend's arrest. He said people should not rush to judgment: "It is important that we do not finger small groups of people, without evidence being produced." His comments follow the arrest and release on bail without charge on Monday night of the Who's lead guitarist, who admitted using his credit card to access a child porn site. Police officers spent several hours searching his home and an office in Richmond, south west London. A number of items were removed for forensic examination. He was released without charge last night and bailed to reappear later this month. Police will now put together a file which will contain his statement, as well as details of any material they find on his computers or in documents. It is likely police will send the file to the crown prosecution service to decide whether he should be charged. Operation Ore is a crackdown on people who view child pornography on the internet. Police have so far arrested 1,300 suspects in Britain, including a judge, magistrates, and 50 police officers. Two MPs, both said to be former Labour ministers, and a television presenter are also on a list of police suspects. The Guardian, 15/1/03
David Blunkett yesterday warned against hysteria over allegations of child pornography, in the wake of the arrest of Pete Townshend. The home secretary said people should not rush to judgment: "It is important that we do not finger small groups of people, who may then be known to colleagues, without evidence being produced." His comments follow the arrest and release on bail with out charge on Monday night of the Who's lead guitarist, who admitted using his credit card to access a child porn site. Townshend, 57, said he was doing research for a book. Police officers spent several hours searching his home and an office in Richmond, south-west London. In a statement, the rock star's mother, Betty, said she was standing by him: "We are, and remain, a loving Christian family and will continue to stand by Pete." The Guardian, 15/1/03
A FORMER Stars In Their Eyes finalist was jailed yesterday after being exposed as a child-porn monster. Martin Berkley, 41, was runner-up on the TV talent show in 1999 impersonating rocker Jon Bon Jovi. But a judge heard he was a hardcore porn addict who had 10,000 perverted images of kids on his computer. Berkley also committed a vile act with a dog - which he videotaped. The computer expert was jailed for 15 months by Gloucester Crown Court. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years. Berkley, of Cheltenham, Gloucs, admitted indecent assault and ten charges of possessing indecent images of children. Prosecutor Paul Grumbar said he was arrested after a former girlfriend complained he had secretly filmed their love-making. Cops found his computer filled with images of children suffering serious abuse. The Sun, 15/1/03
A music teacher has been sentenced to three years of community rehabilitation after being caught with child pornography downloaded from the Internet. Derek West, 58, of Eaton Socon, Cambs, was arrested as part of an international police operation which targets paedophiles. West admitted creating 16 indecent pictures of children and asked for 177 further offences to be considered. Magistrates at Huntingdon, Cambs, heard that the former RAF musician had been sacked from his teaching job with a local authority. West, married with a grown up daughter, had been bandmaster for the RAF College Band during a 29-year career and had performed before most members of the Royal Family, the court heard. The magistrates ordered that he be placed on the sex offenders' register. Ananova, 17/01/03 | ||
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AS many as 10,000 more British paedophiles face arrest in a new worldwide crackdown. Investigators say the massive swoop on internet perverts is bigger than Operation Ore which has targeted more than 7,200 suspects in Britain. British police will be given names supplied by US credit card verification companies. The National Crime Squad, which is co-ordinating the investigation, vowed yesterday: "Every person who paid to view this vicious child abuse will be dealt with. Each and every case will be pursued." Tens of thousands of paedophiles around the world could be trapped by the new information. Ruben Rodriguez, an investigator with the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, who works closely with US law enforcement agencies, said: "The credit card details of those found using more child porn websites have been supplied by verification companies who are actively helping expose paedophiles. "They don't want people using their services illegally and are co-operating with law-enforcement agencies. "This is a major development and will further restrict paedophiles from downloading child pornography." FBI spokesman Ben Doguim, based in Houston, Texas, said: "Our inquiries are continuing. More subscribers to these child porn sites have been uncovered." Police forces across Britain are already struggling to cope with Operation Ore which led to the arrest of Who guitarist Pete Townshend. Sixteen detectives raided the West London home of the 57-year-old rock star on Monday. Townshend was released on bail pending further inquiries.He has admitted viewing indecent images of children but said it was for research into an autobiography as he had been abused himself as a child. Operation Ore followed on from Operation Avalanche, a US Justice Department crackdown on more than 250,000 suspected paedophiles around the world. The 7,200 names were passed on to the National Crime Squad by the US Postal Inspection Service. Detectives believe Operation Ore will take many months to complete.Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens is being kept informed of progress. So far 40 children have been rescued nationwide from the clutches of the internet paedophiles. There have been 1,300 arrests including judges, teachers, doctors, care workers, soldiers and more than 50 police officers. A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We have targeted those on the list who have access to children or have children themselves. The others will be dealt with in the fullness of time." Many suspects have destroyed their computer hard-drives to conceal evidence but the credit card details they gave to download porn will be used to take them to court. Sussex police have made 110 arrests in recent weeks as part of the inquiry. In 14 cases they took no action after it was discovered that those arrested had had their credit cards stolen and used for pay-to-view porn. The Mirror, 18/1/03
Jonathan King has been refused permission to appeal against his conviction and seven-year jail sentence for sexually abusing schoolboys. The Court of Appeal in London rejected an argument King's convictions on six charges were unsafe and that the sentence was "manifestly too severe". Mr Justice Holland said: "The key to this case is the exploitation by the defendant of the trust that 14 and 15-year-old boys placed in him on the basis of his fame and reputation. "That exploitation of trust makes this matter very serious indeed and justifies a sentence that arguably may be somewhat higher than in some other cases." King, 58, was jailed by Judge David Paget at the Old Bailey in November 2001. Ananova, 24/1/03
PERVERT pop tycoon Jonathan King is set to cause outrage by protesting his innocence on a radio show. King, 58, who is serving seven years for abusing five boys in the 1970s, LOST his appeal against sentence on Friday. But the radio audience will hear him say "I'm a victim of false allegations. I am denying that any of it happened. " Strangely he then adds: " I would say ... in those days we used to have a wonderful time and some of us made the odd mistake." King rang LBC 97.3 FM from Maidstone Jail before his appeal court hearing. The recorded interview will go out on Jane Moore's show on the station at 6 am tomorrow. Last night anti-paedophile campaigners and childrens' charities said the broadcast should be banned. Tink Palmer, principal policy officer for Barnados, the UK's biggest children's charity, said: "He's a convicted sexual offender. If he's allowed to go on the airways it's allowing him to manipulate. It's totally inappropriate that children should be hearing a man of this sort." King will now remain in jail until at least 2005. News of The World, 26/1/03
Jonathan King has been moved from the jail where he is serving a seven-year sentence for child sex offences. The 58-year-old has been transferred from Maidstone Prison in Kent to Elmley Jail on the Isle of Sheppey. The move follows a call King made from the jail last week to the London-based radio station LBC 97.3FM to protest his innocence. Reports today suggested the authorities decided to move the former singer, record producer and television presenter because the call breached prison rules. | ||
Child porn subscribers caught in Internet
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