CRJ 317 - Chapter 8 Exam

categories of child molesters include (the problem of child sexual abuse - part 2)

1. situational child molesters 2. regressed child molesters 3. morally indiscriminate child molesters 4. sexually indiscriminate molesters - A situational child molester is generally a socially inadequate, inhibited, and introverted individual with low self -esteem. They frequently have a substance abuse problem and will deny any involvement in the molestation. - There are numerous categorizations of child molesters, but there are four generally recognized types: 1.Regressed 2.Morally indiscriminate 3.Inadequate 4.Sexually indiscriminate

moving from pornography to molestation (part 2)

Pedophiles use child pornography for several reasons: (for personal sexual stimulation, to reduce the inhibitions of the child, as an instructional tool, for barter/trade/sale, to blackmail the child. - The pedophile uses a combination of deception, desensitization, and psychological conditioning to lure potential child victims into a sexual molestation relationship. - Molester communicates with their victim at their emotional and psychological level. - Shows and tell children sexual pictures are normal and acceptable. - Molester demonstrates and asks the child to do sexual acts.

ashley madison scandal

(life is short, have a scandal) the ashley madison website proudly proclaims that it is the first online dating site of its kind (started in 2001 in Canada). it is a place for "discreet dating" created specifically for married men and women looking to have extramarital affairs in the most discreet way possible/by connecting over the internet to meet for sexual acts. In 2017 there were 53 million worldwide members. in 2015 the site was hacked by a group called "impact team" (customer records including profiles of customer's secret sexual fantasies/fetishes, credit card transactions, real names/addresses/emails, etc. were stolen. Avid Life Media tried to force ashley madison to take down their site, they did not and the customer information was uploaded to TOR on the dark web. (32 million users information was put on tor) Found out that most of the female profiles on this site were fake - the website created female bots to talk to the men on the site - only 19% of men were talking to real women on the site. The ashley madison site is still very active today.

legislation targeting stalking

- All 50 states and the federal government have anitstalking statues. - Less than one third have laws that specifically cover stalking via the Internet, e-mail, and other electronic communications - interstate stalking act - Legislation is also adding statues concerning cyberbullying. - Cyberbullying and cyberstalking is expected to increase. - Most law enforcement agencies are not trained and ill- prepared for such crimes. -Many states are in the process of revisited these laws, as well as providing additional restrictions and statues against cyber -bullying. The Interstate Stalking Act makes it a crime for any person to travel across state lines with the intent to injure or harass another person and, in the course thereof, place that person or a member of that person's family in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury. The problem with this law is that it probably would not directly apply to cyberstalking cases. - Three specific factors have contributed to a failure in the official response to these crimes: 1.Many victims fail to report their victimization to official authorities 2.Most law enforcement agencies are not trained to recognize the serious nature of these crimes and to investigate such offenses. 3.Even if these crimes were more commonly reported, the overwhelming majority of law enforcement agencies are ill -prepared to deal with cyberstalking because of the lack of resources, lack of investigative tools, and lack of trained personnel.

(nature of exploitation on the internet study) Stats

a 2016 study estimates the number of children who are prostituted in the U.S is between 9,000 and 21,000, while the U.S. government estimates the number to be as high as 100,000 annually. The numbers of children who are involved in pornography and sex trafficking also are uncertain and probably severely underestimated. Older children tend to be more at risk because they often use the computer unsupervised and are more likely to engage in online discussions of a personal nature.

use if interstate facilities to transmit information about a minor (definition)

prohibits the use of the mail or facility of interstate or foreign commerce to transmit information about minor under 16 for criminal sexual purposes - this statute is in response to a case from Illinois, where an individual posted a nine year old girl's name and telephone number on the internet, indicating she was available for sex - the individual initiating the transmission can be fined, imprisoned up to five years or both.

transfer of obscene materials to minors (defintion)

prohibits the use of the mails or facility of interstate or foreign commerce knowingly to transmit or attempt to transmit, obscene materials to minors under 16. The individual transmitting the materials may be fined, imprisoned for 10 years or both.

sexual solicitations and approaches (definition)

requests to engage in sexual activities or sexual talk or give personal sexual information that were unwanted or, whether wanted or not, made by an adult

aggressive sexual solicitation (definition)

sexual solicitations involving off-line contact with the perpetrator through regular mail, by telephone, or in-person, or attempts or requests for off-line contact

laws and legislation protecting children online

Congress enacted the Protection of Children from Sexual Predators Act of 1998, which established new criminal offense: - Use of interstate facilities to transmit information about a minor - Transfer of obscene materials to minors - Definitions of sexual activity - Most child pornography laws are covered by federal law in a number of statutes. - Federal law on the sexual exploitation of children prohibits people from using children in the production of sexually explicit material. - Federal law prohibits the transportation or transmittal, reception, distribution, and possession of child pornography. (Reno v. American civil liberties union, Ashcroft v. free speech coalition, congress enacted the prosecuting remedies and tools against the exploitation of children today act - PROTECT Act of 2003) - i. Over the past decade, several pieces of legislation and laws have been adopted and proposed to deal with the issues of child exploitation on the Internet including the Child Protection and Sexual Predator Punishment Act of 1998. Other laws require online service providers to report evidence of child pornography offenses to law enforcement agencies, penalize U.S. citizens traveling across state or national borders to engage in sexual activity with children, and some laws target the production of sexually explicit depictions of a minor for importation. ii. Federal law on the sexual exploitation of children prohibits people from using children in the production of sexually explicit material. iii.In 1998, Congress enacted the Protection of Children from Sexual Predators Act of 1998 (PCSPA) which established new criminal offenses, amended existing statutes, and provided for enhanced penalties. Defined: 1.Use of interstate facilities to transmit information about a minor. 2.Transfer of obscene materials to minors. 3.Definition of sexual activity. iv.In response to the Supreme Court decisions which limited these early laws, Congress enacted the Prosecuting Remedies and Tools Against the Exploitation of Children Today Act of 2003 (PROTECT Act) which included a wide variety of provisions relating to the exploitation of children.

the problem of child sexual abuse

David Finkelhor developed a four -part model that annunciates how a sex offense occurs between an offender and a child victim. He argues that each part must occur for an offense to take place. Finkelhor's Four Step model: 1. A potential offender must have some motivation to sexually abuse a child 2. Any internal inhibitions against acting on the motivation to engage in sexual assault must be overcome. 3. Any external implications to acting on the impulse to abuse must be overcome. 4. Avoidance or resistance by the child must be overcome. - Pedophiles might decorate their homes the way their victims would like, - Molesters work to seduce and manipulate adults. - Plan and have tactics to reduce the likelihood that a child will report the offense. - Offenders typically select their victims in one of two ways: preselection involving a certain type of child, or a child they know or through opportunity.

issues in the investigation of internet exploitation, cyberstalking, and obscenity

- Numerous challenges and obstacles exist to effectively enforcing and prosecuting these types of cybercrimes. - There are numerous, and overlapping, law enforcement initiatives that target them. - A general lack of funding and priority dedicated to such crimes are pronounced - The cybercriminal of today is elusive, largely anonymous, and often likely to be operating in a jurisdiction outside of the United States. - There are several evidentiary issues and problems in the prosecution of these crimes that make it more difficult to gain a conviction.

Pedophilia and Child Pornography

- Child pornography is defined as depiction of children in a sexual act or in a sexual way. - No accurate statistical source that reports the extent of or number of arrests involving child pornography. - Pedophiles take pride in their child pornography collection and use it for fantasy and sexual gratification. -Underground system for pedophiles. (NAMBLA - North American Man/Boy Love Associations, and Lewis Carroll Collector's guild publishes a newsletter "wonderland" that promotes child pornography) -There is currently no accurate statistical source that reports the extent of or numbers of arrests involving child pornography. Child pornography (depictions of children in a sexual act or in a sexual way) is used by the pedophile to feed and create sexual fantasies, lower the inhibitions of a child whom they are planning to molest, and to blackmail a child into remaining silent. In addition, the pedophile uses child pornography as a profit device and in barter with other pedophiles to add to their collection or access other children to victimize. To the child molester, their child pornography collection is equated with valuable family heirlooms and investments as the collections can be traded between -pedophiles and used as payment for child prostitution. In the past, child pornography took the form of pictures, magazines and videotapes —many homemade and collected over long periods of time by pedophiles. There is an underground system through group associations of pedophiles.

issues with evidence and detection

- Computer data are easily destroyed, deleted, or modified. - The technical capability to collect, preserve, and analyze such evidence is not widely distributed in the law enforcement community. - Termed commingling, one computer can be used in multiple fashion, by multiple users, and be connected to multiple other machines. - Issues of entrapment have been raised by civil rights groups. - Computer data are easily destroyed, deleted, or modified. - The fact that people can use their computers to conduct both lawful and unlawful activities or to store both contraband and legally possessed material presents another significant issue. Termed commingling, one computer can be used in multiple fashion, by multiple users, and be connected to multiple other machines. - Enforcement of the laws against child pornography often leads law enforcement officials to use sting operations over the Internet to catch pedophiles and find child pornography. As such, issues of entrapment have been raised by civil rights groups.

cyberbullying

- Cyberbullying occurs "when the Internet, cell phones, or other devices are used to send, or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person." - Bullying occurs among the juvenile population. It is referred to as harassment or stalking in the adult population - Cyberbullying allows the bully to reach the victim at all hours of the day and night. (which makes it different from real-world bullying) - May go unnoticed by parents or adults. - Bullying is distinctive, as it occurs exclusively among juvenile populations, whereas the same actions among adults are defined as harassment or stalking. Several recent studies indicate that cyber -bullying is quite common, and that as much as 50 percent of youth in the United States have experienced some form of cyber -bullying that involved email and instant messages, and posts on social networking sites and/or Internet chat rooms. Cyber bullying is clearly that will require further research and ongoing attention from parents and law enforcement officials. -Girls are slightly more likely to be cyberbullied than boys, and whites appear more likely to be bullied, followed by multiracial children, hispanics and african americans.

prostitution and the sex trade

- Internet is the increasing use of Web sites and online resources to facilitate the sex trade. - Internet reduces the risk of detection and arrest from law enforcement. - Escorts advertise their services through Web sites. - Internet allows sex workers to more carefully select their clients, charge more, and have more secure settings. - Johns are afforded anonymous communications. - Ashley Madison - The Internet is increasing the use of Web sites and online resources to facilitate the sex trade. Advertising and discussing the illegal sex trade online reduces the risk of detection and arrest from law enforcement. The clients of prostitutes, often called "johns," have also come to rely on the Internet, because they can interact with others and discuss their experiences with prostitutes without fear of arrest or social embarrassment.

moving from pornography to molestation

- Mixed evidence in the theory linking child pornography and child molestation. - Sexually abusing children is commonly assumed to be a learned behavior. - Subculture of child pornography. - Self-conditioned into deviancy. - The theoretical link between child pornography and child molestation has been researched and debated by several experts. The evidence is mixed and any causal statements that child pornography causes child molestation are not supported by the current research. Child pornography has been found to stimulate the impulse, provide fantasies, and stimulate pedophiles. Sexually abusing children is most commonly assumed to be a learned behavior, with child pornography serving several roles in the learning process. Pedophiles often trade, lend, or sell the pictures they make of young people nude and having sex through an informal network. The pedophiles use the pornography during masturbation and eventually become at risk of conditioning themselves into sexual deviancy. To summarize, pedophiles use child pornography for several reasons: 1) personal sexual stimulation, 2) to reduce inhibitions of the child-victim, and 3) as an instructional tool, 4) for barter or trade, and 5) to blackmail the child.

child molestation

- Most child molesters are able to molest numerous children before they are caught and have only 3% chance of being apprehended for their crimes. - Boys and girls are at nearly equal risk for abuse. - Almost a quarter will be molested by their 18 their birthday. - Less than 5% will tell someone. - Child molestation can be defined as any sexual behavior or activity that is abusive or nonconsensual toward a child or a sexual behavior that is specifically prohibited by state or federal law. (Every state has various definitions.) - According to the National Children's Alliance, there were 206,768 child sexual abuse cases reported in 2015. The overwhelming majority of child victims are abused by someone they know, or a family member. Various states have differing definitions and age limits in their statutory rape laws and concerning the age at which a person can voluntarily consent to sexual relations. Some states define a specific age, such as 16, to enumerate the point at which a person can voluntarily consent to sex. Others include an age- range difference, such as three years, up to a certain age where a person can consent to sex.

the "New" child pornographers

- Pedophiles now use the Internet for four primary purposes: 1. trafficking child pornography 2. locating children to molest 3. engaging in inappropriate sexual communication with children 4. communicating with other pedophiles - The single most distinctive characteristic of habitual child offenders is a compelling interest in collecting child pornography. - (Posting child pornography via Web pages has been curtailed substantially over the past decade, however other methods, such as email and bulletin boards continue) - (Unlike other forms of obscenity or pornography, child pornography laws are actively prosecuted.) - The Internet has made detection and prosecution all the more problematic. ("global cottage industry") - "Sex rings" are used by pedophiles to produce child pornography, victimize children, and prostitute children. - Operation Cheshire Cat - Operation Predator - Pedophiles now use the Internet for four primary purposes: trafficking child pornography, locating children to molest, engage in inappropriate sexual communication with children, and to communicate with other pedophiles. In the past, the distribution and sharing of child pornography was through clandestine newsletters or tightly controlled networks, whereas today the networking and distribution is online. 1."The Playpen" child pornography Internet site. 2.The Internet has made detection and prosecution more problematic.

identification of suspects

- Several Web services offer free anonymous e-mail and Web accounts along with proxy tools that hide the actual location of a computer. - It is quite difficult to trace some communications over the Net, especially with the availability of access on numerous college campuses and Internet cafes. - Many criminals assume the identity of someone else to conduct their online crimes. - The sending of anonymous communications is thus relatively easy for the criminal and makes it difficult for law enforcement to identify the suspect responsible for the crime - Individuals who actively collect pornographic materials share information and resources on methods to hide or minimize the likelihood of detection. Several Web services offer free anonymous e -mail and Web accounts along with proxy tools that hide the actual location of a computer. Further, it is quite difficult to trace some communications over the Net, especially with the availability of access on numerous college campuses and Internet cafes. Many criminals assume the identity of someone else to conduct their online crimes, such as theft of e-mail addresses and hacking into someone else's computer to conduct business (making that computer a zombie). Another service provided by some ISPs are mail servers that purposefully strip identifying information and transport headers from electronic mail.

characteristics of stalkers and their victims

- Stalkers, by their very nature, want a relationship with their victim - Stalkers are typically male (87%), white (80%), between the ages of 18 and 35 (50%), of average intelligence, and earn above (average incomes). - Those living in lower -income households are more likely to be stalked than those in higher (income brackets). - Women are more likely to be stalked than males. - Individuals between ages 18-24 are more likely to be stalked. -Cyberstalkers employ a var iety of tactics online most commonly sending unsolicited, hateful, obscene, or threatening e -mail or harassing the victim in online chat rooms. Most stalkers are typically male (87%), white (80%), between the ages of 18 and 35 (50%), and are of average int elligence earning above - average incomes. In contrast, stalking victims are more likely to be female, individuals between the ages of 18- 24. Divorced and separated women were more likely to be stalked online. The majority of these cases involved spouses or partners or had a dating relationship. Nearly 18 percent of stalkers were acquaintances or coworkers of the victim, while only 16.9 percent were complete strangers. - majority of stalkers and victims (72.5%) had a personal relationship before the stalking began.

stalking via the world wide web

- Stalking is most often defined as the willful or intentional commission of a series of acts that would cause a reasonable person to fear death or serious bodily injury and that, in fact, place the victim in fear of death or serious bodily injury. - (stalking laws have changed recently in response to greater knowledge about the crime being generated through research) Many states have changed their laws to broaden the definition of stalking to include repeated behavior that is harassing, communicating, or nonconsensual communication. - Many states have adopted a "general intent" requirement rather a specific intent requirement which allows prosecutions for implied threats and threats that may or may not be considered "credible." - The numbers of cyberstalking incidents is unknown, but recent estimates suggest these behaviors appear to be on the rise, particularly among young people and college students due in part to frequent Internet use among this population. - approximately 15-18.9 percent of a sample of college students had experienced online harassment. - 1 in 13 victims was tracked via electronic monitoring tools, such as computer spyware, digital cameras, and GPS technology.

obscenity on the world wide web

- The Internet has made pornography, hardcore and illegal varieties, widely available to the general public. - Battle over the government controlling what is posted on the Internet verses free speech. - Onus of regulation is on the Internet Service Providers (ISPs). - Parents have a responsibility their children on what they are accessing online. -The growth of the Internet has forced the Supreme Court to revisit this slippery issue that lives somewhere between community protection and freedom of speech and obscenity. a. Laws and Legislation Protecting Children Online -The growth of the Internet has forced the Supreme Court to revisit this slippery issue that lives somewhere between community protection and freedom of speech and obscenity.

pornography and webcams

- The Internet is littered with thousands of adult pornography sites - Monthly charge or free because they are supported by advertisements. - Several billion dollar industry. - Webcams stream live and taped sex shows. - Tokens may be used to purchase specific sex acts. -The Internet is littered with thousands of adult pornography sites; many of which serve a worldwide audience desiring every sexual fantasy and fetish imaginable. -The new porn services on the Internet today are via webcams that stream live and taped sex shows from around the world. One of the largest and fastest growing webcam sites in the world is chaturbate.com; an abridged name meaning the act of masturbating while chatting online.

online victimization of young people (part 2)

- The percentage of youths who were sexually solicited online decreased from a decade ago, where approximately one in five children was sexually solicited. - The proportion of children who received "aggressive" sexual solicitations remained consistent during this same period. - Less than 10 percent of sexual solicitations and only 2 percent of unwanted exposures were reported to authorities. - There has been an increase in the number of parents who have filtering or blocking software on home computers. Key findings include: 1.Approximately one in seven children sampled (or about 14%) received a sexual solicitation over the Internet during the previous year. 2.One in 33 youths received an aggressive solicitation, and this figure increased among young girls. 3.One in three children experienced unwanted exposure to pictures of naked people or people having sex. 4.83 percent of the materials youths were exposed to happened while surfing the Web. 5.The number of children who were threatened or harassed online was 1 in 11. 6.Approximately one in four youths reported making rude or nasty comments to someone while on the Internet, and 1 in 10 harassed or embarrassed someone that "they are mad at" while online. 7.Less than 10% of sexual solicitations and only 2% of unwanted exposures were reported to authorities. 8.Less than 25% of youths who encountered a distressing sexual solicitation told a parent, and 42% of those reporting an unwanted exposure to sexual material did tell a parent. 9.There has been an increase the number of parents filter or use blocking (in 2000, 1/3 of parents used filters to block harmful sites for their children, and in 2016, more than 50% did) software on their computers to protect children. 10.In summary the Youth Internet Survey revealed high levels of online victimization.

The Mechanisms of Traditional Stalking and Cyberstalking

- The traditional conception of criminal stalking involves (binoculars, telescoped, cameras equipped with "long lenses", video cameras, hidden microphones, the internet, public records and accomplices - both witting and unwitting - to keep track of the whereabouts of those they target) a stranger following some unsuspecting female and showing up for repeated interactions with the victim - Hard to distinguish between stalking behavior that is dangerous and behavior that is comparatively benign. (All stalking should be taken seriously). - Stalkers, by their very nature, want a relationship with their victims. - People using electronic forms of communication are much more brazen than they would be face to face. - Cyberstalking is simply the electronic form of stalking, where the harassment or threats are directed via the Internet typically using social networks, e-mail, chat rooms, bulletin boards, or even Web pages. Most often, due to the distance between users and the anonymity of the Internet, this behavior will not escalate. (Electronic forms of communication are much more brazen than they would be face to face; such is the case with cyberstalkers.)

massage parlors

- There are Web sites that rate and give reviews on massage parlors worldwide - In most cases, the massage parlors are fronts for open prostitution. - Message parlors represent the brothels of the past. - In the worst cases, the massage parlors are involved in human trafficking where young girls and boys from Asia and South America are sent to work in trade for being smuggled into the United States. -In most cases, the massage parlors are fronts for open prostitution

Nature of Exploitation on the Internet (part 2)

-Certain factors make some groups more vulnerable than others to online victimization. - Regular use and access to a computer with Internet capability is necessary to being victimized. - Older children tend to be at greater risk for victimization than younger children - People who activity participate in chat rooms, trade email messages, and pictures online are more likely to be victimized. - Troubled or rebellious teens seeking emancipation from parental authority are more likely to be victimized.

online dating fraud

-The Internet has significantly changed the legitimate art of dating in our time. - Can be fraught with fraud and financial loss. - Online Dating Scams As with almost all any other type of online business, the dating experience can be fraught with fraud and financial loss. - Stages of the Online Dating Scam: Phishing for victims, Grooming the victim, The test, and Escalation of money requests

overlapping jurisdictions and duplication of effort

-The government currently has numerous operations dedicated to child pornography and additional units and operations targeting obscenity in general. -Congress has passed some laws that make certain offenses a crime regardless of whether they are legal in the host country. - The ICE agency has developed relationships with foreign law enforcement agencies through Operation Predator. - The government currently has numerous operations dedicated to child pornography and additional units and operations targeting obscenity in general. As is the case with other areas of law enforcement, a problem exists with overlapping jurisdictional boundaries and duplication of effort between agencies - Cybercriminals can cross national or international boundaries at will via a computer, and information and property can be easily transmitted through communications and data networks. As a result, law enforcement agencies are forced to try to work with local officials, foreign governments, and other agencies of the federal government —something that they have been quite reluctant to do in the past.

Chapter overview

A variety of victimizations can occur online, many that are similar to their real-world counterparts. In particular, the nature of the victimizations included threats, obscene comments and intimations, and exposure to obscene and threatening materials, including pictures and other media. Most often, children and women are the primary targets of those who would commit cyberstalking and exploitation over the Internet. Child pornography, sex tourism, online dating scams, Ashley Madison, and the laws surrounding all of these modern crimes are discussed throughout the chapter. Most commonly, white males between the ages of 18 and 35 make up the majority of the offenders. - The U.S. Supreme Court has had the opportunity to hear several cases regarding cybercrime laws. Many of the same issues involving noncybercrimes are being heard by the court. Many of the laws were overturned for being too vague and sweeping with too broad of a stroke. The federal government has responded with the passage of new laws and refinements of the old laws in an attempt to regulate and control content on the Internet, particularly the access of children to objectionable content. These types of crimes also present unique difficulties for law enforcement, including lack of expertise, lack of resources, and difficulty in tracking and prosecuting offenders.

sex tourism

Sex tourism is the practice of men from Western countries visiting developing or third world nations for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity that is illegal in their home country or that they do not want to be discovered committing in their home country - (The internet is the primary facilitator of the sex tourism industry) - Another facet of the sex trade is sex tourism. Sex tourism is a loosely defined practice that encompasses several sexually related practices, some legal in certain countries and some illegal. In many instances, visitors to foreign countries utilize legal brothels and other sexually oriented businesses that are illegal in their home country. In other instances, the visitors use services that are illegal in both countries. Finally, a growing practice is for typically wealthy westerners to specifically travel to certain countries to procure sexual servic es of adolescents or to be set up with children for sexual purposes. In sum, sex tourism is the practice of men (there are virtually no known cases of women engaging in this practice) from western countries visiting developing nations or third world nations for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity that is illegal in their home country or that they don't want to be discovered committing in their home country. - The Internet is a primary facilitator of the sex tourism industry. It allows for quick and easy access to a number of different destinations and options at a range of prices.

introduction

Sexual predators increasingly utilize the Internet and have found it to be the perfect tool for exchanging child pornography, trolling for victims, and arranging meetings and tours for sexually deviant behavior. (Primary targets of such crimes - exploitation of people for sexual/other purposes - primary targets are women and children - but women are still likely to stalk men via the internet/not uncommon)

the process of sex tourism

Thailand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan are the countries traditionally connection with children sex tourism and all have serious child prostitution problems. - Sex tourists are generally divided into two groups: (preferential abuses, situational abuses) - The sex tourist encounter is rather typical. The sex tourist is usually male, most likely from either Europe or North America. Some of the perpetrators are pedophiles, but most are "respectable" doctors, lawyers, servicemen and teachers, many with children of their own. Sex tourists are generally divided into two groups, preferential abusers and situational abusers. - 1.Preferential abu sers, the pedophiles, have clear and definite sexual preferences for children, while situational abusers generally have not planned to have commercial sex while abroad, but took the opportunity when it presented itself. Most of these perpetrators tell themselves that there is no abuse or harm occurring to the child because the child has actively "chosen" that "profession." They also assume that because the child has "chosen" prostitution, the child consents to and ultimately benefits from sexual relations with adults, and that commercial sex is a way to help children out of poverty. 2.Thailand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan are the countries traditionally connected with child sex tourism, and all have serious child prostitution problems

Nature of Exploitation on the Internet

The exploitation of people for sexual and other purposes is nothing new, but the use of the Internet to facilitate these crimes is a more recent phenomenon. - The primary targets of sexual victimization and stalking are primarily women and children - Estimates of the number of children affected by online crimes vary due to the difficulty associated with identifying and tracking these crimes. (Internet sex predators victimize people by enticing them through online contact for the purpose of engaging them in sexual acts; using the Internet for the production, manufacture, and distribution of child or other sexually deviant pornography; by using the Internet to expose youth to child pornography and encourage them to exchange pornography; and by enticing and exploiting women and children for the purpose of sexual tourism (travel with the intent to engage in sexual behavior) for commercial gain and/or personal gratification.)

Online Victimization of Young People

The potential for victimization online is probably much higher than most people think. One of the more comprehensive examinations of the problems these areas pose was the Youth Internet Safety Survey which measured several areas of problems that youths reported being exposed to while surfing online, including/Online victimization of young people occurs through (Youth internet safety survey - Finkelhor, Mitchell and Wolak and sponsored by NCMEC found: sexual solicitations and approaches, aggressive sexual solicitation, unwanted exposure to sexual material, harassment, distressing incidents)

law enforcement initiatives

The primary federal agencies that have become combating this type of crime are: FBI, ICE, postal inspection service, department of justice's child exploitation and obscenity section, NCMEC (national center for missing and exploited children), cyber tipline - The primary federal agencies that have been combating this type of crime are the FBI, the ICE, the Postal Inspection Service, the Department of Justice's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and the NCMEC.

(online victimization) stats

between 2.9 and 3.7 million youths between 10 and 17 have received a sexual solicitation or approach online. Another 7.9-9.1 million youths were exposed to unwanted sexual material. Finally, between 1.7 and 2.4 million youths were harassed online. (most of which are very distressing and most of which are unreported. Girls were targeted at almost twice the rate of boys (70% to 30%), more than 3/4 of targeted youth (81%) were aged 14 or older, and this group experienced 75% of distressing situations, almost all (86%) were persons the youth originally met online, adults were responsible for 49% of sexual solicitations and 49% of the aggressive solicitations, most of the adult solicitors were reported to be aged 18-25/about 9% of all solicitors were known to be older than 25, juveniles made 43% of the overall and 44% of the aggressive solicitations, males made 73% of the solicitations and approaches, women account for a small percentage of the aggressive (16%) or distressing (7%) solicitations (16%). Recent research has found that there is a significant connection between individual involvement in risky behavior and risk of harassment.

definition of sexual activity (definition)

defines criminal sexual activity to include the production of child pornography. previously several cases presented for federal prosecution could not be charged because the individual either transported a minor or traveled to meet a minor to produce child pornography, but not for sexual activity

characteristics of stalkers and their victims (part 2)

stalkers may be classified several different ways such as: simple obsessional stalkers, love obsession stalkers, erotomaniacal stalkers, vengeance/ terror stalkers. - traditional and cyberstalkers have similar motives - cyberstalking can be done across the world, but traditional stalking requires being close to the victim - cyberstalking can encourage other people to harass or threaten the victim - cyberstalkers are more brazen -Several categorization schemes exist for classifying stalkers, and the behavior of each type varies to a certain degree. 1.Comprising the largest group of estimated stalkers (47%-60%), simple obsessive stalkers typically involve a victim and a perpetrator who have had a prior relationship. 2.The second largest category of stalkers (43%) is the love obsession type where no prior relationship exists between perpetrator and victim or they are casual acquaintances. Primarily, stalkers in this category seek to establish a personal relationship with the object of their obsession, contrary to the wishes of their victims. Love obsession stalkers tend to have low self -esteem and often target victims whom they perceive to have exceptional qualities and high social standing. These stalkers seek to raise their own self-esteem by associating with those whom they hold in high regard. 3. A third category is referred to as erotomaniacs, meaning that the stalker believes that the victim is in love with him or her. This category was the least frequent (less than 10%) and differed from the previous two in that these offenders were more likely to be females stalking males. 4.Another, recently developed category is the vengeance or terrorist stalker. Vengeance/terrorist stalkers attempt to elicit a particular response or a change of behavior from their victims rather than seeking a personal relationship with them. Cyberstalking is expected to increase as computers and the Internet become more popular. 5.Traditional and cyber stalkers have similar motivations, but cyber stalkers may be more brazen.

a more specific definition of cyberstalking

the use of the internet, email, or other electronic communication devices to stalk, threaten, or harass another person. (example: California recently amended its stalking law to express;y include stalking via the internet)

harassment (definition)

threats or other offensive behavior (not sexual solicitations) sent online to the youth or posted online about the youth for others to see. Not all such incidents were distressing to the youth who experienced them.

(mechanisms of traditional stalking and cyberstalking) stats

victims say stalkers employed the following tactics: followed or spied on a victim (24.5%), made unwanted phone calls (62.5%), sent unwanted letters or left unwanted items (30%), showed up at places the victim was present (22.4%), leaving unwanted presents (9.1%)

distressing incidents (definition)

were episodes where youth rated themselves as very or extremely upset or afraid as a result of the incident.

unwanted exposure to sexual material (definition)

without seeking or expecting sexual material, being exposed to pictures of naked people or people having sex when doing online searches, surfing the web, opening emails, or email links.