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A pandemic is silently, yet swiftly spreading across the globe targeting children for sexual exploitation through child pornography, trafficking of children, child prostitution, child sex tourism and other forms of abuse. Fueled by sexual predators and a seemingly insatiable demand by a segment of our society for explicit images depicting children as well as other sex acts involving kids, thousands of young Americans today are being caught up in a truly world wide web of exploitation and abuse. The physical and emotional scares inflicted on these largely nameless victims are often as permanent as their images transmitted across the globe and back again via the internet. The purpose of this Helsinki Commission hearing is to gain a greater insight into the scope of these crimes against children, ways to enhance the ability of law enforcement here and abroad to prosecute the criminals involved, shut down their networks, deal compassionately with their victims, and prevent others from getting caught up in this web.
To help put this issue in perspective, experts estimate that 50,000 predators are logged on to the internet at this very moment prowling for unsuspecting kids. Child pornography once pedaled in America’s back allies is now accessible in nearly every home, including to other children. One in four kids surfing the net is exposed to unwanted sexually explicit material, with thousands of new images of child pornography being posted on the interest each and every week. In an insidious cycle of abuse, pornography is often itself used to entice others or coerce victims into other acts. A ten-year long study by the Sexually Exploited Child Unit of the LAPD found that pornography was a factor in 87% of their child molestation cases. According to the Department of Justice, pornographers today are delving into exploitation of ever younger victims – infants and toddlers -- engaged in even more despicable acts, accounting for 20% of images seized by law enforcement.
The purveyors of child pornography thrive in a multi-billion dollar industry, relying on the anonymity of the web in what for them is a low cost, low risk enterprise. In an attempt to raise the costs to such individuals, I cosponsored the Internet SAFETY Act of 2006, a bill that includes concrete steps to strengthen law enforcement’s capacity to prosecute these criminals. Having worked on efforts to stem human trafficking, I am acutely aware of the need to treat the victims of exploitation and abuse with compassion as part of the healing process.
I welcome the experts assembled here today who will draw on their wealth of experience in law enforcement, child protection services, and victims assistance as we search for ways to better help and protect some of the most vulnerable in our country, kids on Main Street in my state, across the country, and beyond.
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