The consumption of Internet child pornography and violent and sex offending

Posted By: admin 14 July, 2009

Abstract: The consumption of Internet child pornography and violent and sex offending

by Jerome Endrass, Frank Urbaniok, Lea C Hammermeister, Christian Benz, Thomas Elbert, Arja Laubacher, and Astrid Rossegger

BMC Psychiatry 2009, 9:43doi:10.1186/1471-244X-9-43
Published: 14 July 2009

Abstract (provisional)

Background

There is an ongoing debate on whether consumers of child pornography pose a risk for hands-on sex offenses. Up until now, there have been very few studies which have analyzed the association between the consumption of child pornography and the subsequent perpetration of hands-on sex offenses. The aim of this study was to examine the recidivism rates for hands-on and hands-off sex offenses in a sample of child pornography users using a 6 year follow-up design.
Methods

The current study population consisted of 231 men, who were subsequently charged with consumption of illegal pornographic material after being detected by a special operation against Internet child pornography, conducted by the Swiss police in 2002. Criminal history, as well as recidivism, was assessed using the criminal records from 2008.
Results

4.8% (n=11) of the study sample had a prior conviction for a sexual and/or violent offense, 1% (n=2) for a hands-on sex offense, involving child sexual abuse, 3.3% (n=8) for a hands-off sex offense and one for a nonsexual violent offense. When applying a broad definition of recidivism, which included ongoing investigations, charges and convictions, 3% (n=7) of the study sample recidivated with a violent and/or sex offense, 3.9% (n=9) with a hands-off sex offense and 0.8% (n=2) with a hands-on sex offense.
Conclusions

Consuming child pornography alone is not a risk factor for committing hands-on sex offenses – at least not for those subjects who had never committed a hands-on sex offense. The majority of the investigated consumers had no previous convictions for hands-on sex offenses. For those offenders, the prognosis for hands-on sex offenses, as well as for recidivism with child pornography, is favorable.