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History and development of internet
History and development of internet
History and development of internet
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Crimes against individuals are nothing new. These crimes are in society from the Greek and Egyptian to the present time. With the creation of computer and Internet, typical personal crimes have been substituted for high-tech crimes (i.e. online sex crimes against children). One of the most hideous criminals against children are those individuals identified as pedophiles. Pedophile is defined as “an adult who is sexually attracted to children” (Knetzger & Muraski, 2008). Because this is a crime with an alarming increase rate, law enforcement authorities must be well-educated with typical profile of pedophiles and methods of operation.
Those individuals identified as predatory pedophiles are suffering from a psychological disorder known as pedophilia supportive by the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). According to the DSM, these individuals are “experienced sexual fixation, fantasizing, or sexual activities with a minor for half a year; this will cause social problem to the pedophile; and the pedophile must be 16 years or older and victim must be 5 years youn...
When a late adolescent or adult is primarily or exclusively attracted to a minor child sexually they become diagnosed with the psychiatric disorder pedophilia. Mostly a person is not diagnosed with this disorder unless they have had this attraction for six months or longer. This attraction can be in the form of fantasies which are sexually arousing to the perpetrator, or the urge to engage in sexual activities with a minor child. In addition, in order to be diagnosed the molester will have to have acted on these urges or suffered from some type of distress, which will be result from having these feelings. Also the molester should be at least sixteen years old with the victim being younger than them by a minimum of five years.
Our text describes pedophilia as a person who “gains sexual gratification by watching, touching, or engaging in sexual acts with prepubescent children, usually 13 years old or younger” (Comer, 2013, p. 411). The movie, The Woodsman describes the story of a convicted sex offender recently released from prison. Walter, depicted by Kevin Bacon shed some insight into the motivations and thought processes that a sex offender, specifically a pedophile might have.
We have all watched television shows, we have heard the warnings, and have read numerous articles that expose internet predators and pedophiles. Most of us are aware of the dangers surrounding children and teenagers as they navigate the internet’s virtual world. There is no shortage of predators online. Chris Hanson has a very popular show called To Catch a Predator that has helped bring awareness to the public of this heinous crime against children, and while this is extremely important to know and prevent, there is another large segment of society that is at risk too. This paper will focus on this “other” population.
Understanding the drive for molestation of an individual is hard to grasp. “Sick” is the word that parents and other individuals would describe it as. An article written to provide information on victims of sexual assault stated, “Approximately 1.8 million adolescents in the United States have been the victims of sexual assault” (NSOPW). The take on the issue is a very touchy subject to talk about. According to Murray, “Most victims happen to be women or young girls and their rapists are usually close family, friends, or distant acquaintances” (211). Most cases go unknown for various reasons. Predominantly, the victims are too afraid to speak up in fear of the molester finding out or they feel a sense of embarrassment by their families reaction
Before moving far we must understand the meaning of a pervert and a predator. According to the online dictionary the term sexual predator is used to describe a “person seen as obtaining or trying to obtain sexual contact with another person in a metaphorically ‘predatory’ manner.” A pervert is defined as “a person whose sexual behavior is regarded as abnormal and unacceptable.”
“...an individual with [pedophilia] has the same ingrained attraction that a heterosexual female may feel towards a male, or a homosexual feels towards their same gender.” (Johnston, Pg. 1). Pedophilia - “the fantasy or act of sexual activity with children who are generally age 13 years or younger” (American Psychiatric Association, p.1) - a word that holds multiple negative connotations, is often seen as aberrant thought process or behavior, and is under debate as to whether or not it’s a sexual orientation. But can it be considered a sexual orientation? As a member of the LGBT community, this issue has surfaced among us and shocked the majority.
Also note that I am using the term ‘child molester’ almost exclusively. This is because there is a difference between a pedophile and a child molester. Pedophilia is a psychological disorder in which a sexually mature adult is attracted, either preferentially or exclusively, to pre-pubescent childr...
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMIV), defines pedophilia as a person having an intense and recurrent sexual urges towards and fantasies about prepubescent children and on which feelings they have either acted or which cause distress or interpersonal difficulty.
Salter, Anna C. (2004). Predators: pedophiles, rapists, & other sex offenders: Who they are and how they operate, and how we can protect ourselves and our children. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Howitt, D., & Sheldon, K. (2007). Sex offenders and the internet. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=-XO_wPs6a-gC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false, 60-61.
The publicity about online predators that prey on naive and inexperienced young children using trickery and violence is largely inaccurate. Internet sex crimes involving adults and juveniles more often fit a model of statutory rape which is adult offenders who meet, develop relationships with, and openly seduce underage teenagers than a model of forcible sexual assault or pedophilic child molesting (Wolak et. al., 2008). However, prepubescent children are even less vulnerable because their internet use is generally more supervised by the parents and guardian. In addition, they use the internet less for communication and are for developmental reasons, less interested in sex and relationships than adolescents.
Are we bothered by the fact that in the current social climate, the rights of convicted pedophiles are routinely violated and nobody cares. Rules of evidence are stretched, and terms of punishment are increased. The danger of this precedent is impossible to ignore.
Throughout the world, the protection of children is the main priority. When it comes to the United States, pedophiles are recognized as a threat to the wellbeing of kids of ages of 13 and under. Pedophilia is a mental disorder that can be treated; however, there is no cure for it. This means that pedophiles could be aided in a manner that protects both the pedophile and the youth. In the United States pedophilia is viewed more as a criminal case than a mental disorder resulting in criminal cases of pedophilia not decreasing and the endangerment of the pedophile and their mental health.
Gallagher B,Christmann, Christmann K,Fraser, Fraser C, Hodgson B. 2003. International and internet child sexual abuse and exploitation – issues emerging from research . Child and Family Law Quarterly 15: 353-370.
To begin with, while using the internet, children are exposed to different kinds of materials. In most cases, they are exposed to inappropriate ones such as sexually explicit materials and/or violent ones (Magid, 2003). Some children, especially adolescents, are curious about sexuality and sexually explicit material; they can move away from their family and seek fulfillments for their curiosities online. Hence, dangerous situations commonly occur due to the child molesters on the other side of the net waiting to find those children, seduce them, and manipulate them (Freeh, 2008). It is also worth mentioning that other children can be exposed to such resources by accident; they can receive them through e-mail spam or when a popup that contains violent or sexual materials opens in front of them (Magid, 2003). Also, there are some people who attempt to sexually exploit children online. Some of them progressively seduce their targets through the use of attention, affection, kindness, and gifts. They are often willing to devote considerable amounts of time, money, and energy during this course of action. They listen to and empathize with the problems of children. They are aware of the latest music, hobbies, and interests of the youngster. They also attempt to gradually lower children's inhibitions by slowly introducing sexual context and content into their conversations (Freeh, 2008) which can get them to gain the trust of those targeted children and can lead to meet them face-to-face.