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Modern technology in the form of the Internet has made interaction
between pedophiles easier than in the past. The computer, in fact, has
turned out to be the greatest single advancement in the history of
pedophilia. In the shadow world of child worship, the Internet is a
Godsend. By use of the computer, the offender can quickly organize his
material, communicate with others who share his interest and troll the
net for potential victims. He seeks validation through communication
with others just like him and finds comfort in the anonymous corridors
of cyber space. Pedophiles are just a few clicks away from each other,
a vast improvement over the past. Before computers, pedophiles relied
on newspaper ads, sex clubs and prison contacts for interaction with
others like themselves. They had to cruise the streets, visit parks
and playgrounds where children play in order to locate victims.
Undoubtedly, some still do. But others can now hide behind the
anonymous comfort of the Internet shield. The Seattle
Times reported that by 1998, more than 1,500 suspected pedophiles
in 32 states have been identified through various chat rooms on
America’s most popular Internet service (October 26, 1999). The easy
access to pornography has many parents scared and apprehensive.
Using one of the Web’s most popular browsers, easily available to
everyone, a recent search for the words “boy love” quickly turned
up a list of disturbing responses. These are only some of the
examples.
- Site #1: “encyclopedic collection of boylove articles”
- Site #2: “a collection of internet links of special
interest to boylovers.”
- Site #3: “discussion of boylovers and their organized
boylove web sites and networks.”
- Site #4: “Our goal is to end the oppression of men
and boys who have consensual relations.”
- Site #5: “absolutely uncensored sex pics from around the
globe, teens sucking dick pics.”
- Site #6: “erotic young, young teens naked pics!!!!”
- Site #7: “live nude young boys picture gallery!!”
And the list goes on. It is too long to publish here. You may
notice that a number of these sites utilize language that tends
to justify their interests. They attempt to legitimatize their
behavior by claiming that sex between adults and the young is
“pure,” “kind,” “gentle” and utilize other descriptive
labels that give the impression they are referring to some saintly
endeavor other than the sexual exploitation of children. This is a
common trait among the preferential child molesters: they spend their
lives attempting to justify their behavior in their own eyes. Since
their attraction to children is a compulsion that many cannot avoid or
deny, they seek methods to reinforce their belief that they do nothing
wrong. This is a fairly recent development, especially on the
Internet, where groups of pedophiles view themselves as being
persecuted by the rest of society. Look at the language used in site #
4: “to end the oppression of men and boys”. It’s
almost as if they are talking about a political party rather than the
sexual seduction of children.
The Internet also provides a preferential child molester with
unique opportunities. For example, he cannot hang around school
property very long without arousing suspicion, but he can remain in
teen and pre-teen chat rooms indefinitely. Through these electronic
arenas, the pedophile has something that before the Internet Age he
could only dream about: unlimited and unrestricted access to
vulnerable children. Chat rooms makes it much easier and less risky
for them to interact with children. But the computer is a double-edged
sword. Law enforcement agents have found that many pedophiles are
compulsive personalities with predictable behavioral patterns. Some
will keep meticulous records of their collections and victims.
They often write detailed logs of their experiences and “sexual
conquests.” Police are well aware of these habits and in these type
of cases will quickly obtain a search warrant to seize any computer
owned by a suspected child molester.
Police have also discovered many dues paying organizations that
promote and condone pedophilia over the Internet. These groups, like
North American Man Boy Association (NAMBLA) and the Rene Guyon
Society, are constantly monitored by the police. The brazen attitude
of these groups is shocking to most people. For example, the motto of
the Rene Guyon Society is “Sex Before Eight or It’s Too Late!”
(Vito and Holmes, p. 283). But in our system, 1st Amendment rights
protect these organizations to a degree. In recent years, the
proliferation of these groups and the avalanche of pornography over
the Web have outraged Americans. Today, any man, woman or child with a
modem can use the most effective tool for the distribution of
pornography the world has ever seen. Remember that a child
cannot easily look through sexually graphic magazines in a public
store. On the Internet it is a simple activity. And most children
already know how. The accessibility of child pornography via the
Internet has many parents worried. A Time CNN poll recently
asked teenagers: “Do you use the Internet for things like email,
chat rooms or visiting Web sites?” Eighty-two percent said yes. Time
also asked during the same poll: “Have you ever seen Web sites that
are x-rated or have sexual content?” Forty-two percent said yes (Time,
May 10, 1999).
In 1998, U.S. Customs officials smashed one of the largest
organizations of child pornographers ever uncovered. More than 200
suspects were arrested across the world in a strike named Operation
Chesire Cat. The target was an Internet based organization called The
Wonderland Club, whose name was derived from Lewis Carroll’s Alice
in Wonderland, long a symbolic favorite of the pedophilic
underworld(7). The club trafficked in some of the most vile
child pornography ever seen including the rape of children(8).
They also screened live sexual abuse of children to their members. The
victims were often members’ relatives. Unfortunately, there is no
limit to the depravity of some people. The qualification for entry
into this club was said to be the possession of more than 10,000
images of child porn on their computer’s hard drive. The
investigation began in 1996 after another pornography ring called The
Orchid Club was broken up in San Jose, California. Information gleaned
during that case led investigators to England and Western Europe.
Undercover agents made repeated attempts to break into the secret
society of the Wonderland Club. But club members used secret passwords
to meet in private chat rooms that constantly changed to avoid the
relentless pursuit of federal agents, obsessed with their capture. But
the police, fearful of the molestation of future victims, decided to
act. In September 1998, U.S. Custom’s officials coordinated a
simultaneous worldwide raid in 14 countries. Evidence gathered during
these search warrants indicated membership in the club in 47
additional countries. Shortly after these police raids, four club
members, including a retired U.S. Air Force pilot, committed suicide.
Exposure can be the pedophile’s worst enemy.
Parents can take some simple steps to protect their child from
on-line invasion by these predators. Try to become more aware of what
your children are doing online. Do not let small children access the
Internet in the privacy of their own room or in a secluded place.
Check in once in a while to actually see where they go on the
Internet. Parents should tell children not to chat with adult
strangers without supervision and should never fill out a personal
information profile for anyone. It is best not to open unsolicited
email or email from strangers. Often this mail is a cover to sell or
provide online pornography. If your child received pornography via the
Internet or someone has made inappropriate contact with your child,
contact your service provider or notify the local police.
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