TY - JOUR PY - 2016// TI - Understanding online child sexual exploitation offenses JO - Current psychiatry reports A1 - Ly, Thanh A1 - Murphy, Lisa A1 - Fedoroff, J. Paul SP - e74 EP - e74 VL - 18 IS - 8 N2 - In the past three decades, there has been an exponential increase in the worldwide availability of Internet access and devices that are able to access online materials. This literature review investigated whether increased accessibility of Internet child pornography (CP) increases the risk of in-person child sexual exploitation. The current review found little to no evidence that availability of the Internet has increased the worldwide incidence or prevalence of in-person child sexual abuse. In fact, during the time period in which the Internet has flourished, international crime statistics have shown a steady decrease of in-person child sexual abuse. The only exception to this trend is an increase in Internet child pornography or luring offenses (e.g., Stats Can, 2014), which involves child abuse by definition. This article reviews the impact of the Internet on child sexual abuse. It also reviews the characteristics of online CP offenders. Treatment of these offenders and prevention of such offenses is also discussed.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1523-3812 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11920-016-0707-0 ID - ref1 ER -