Ethel Quayle

child pornography and the internet: perpetuating a cycle of abuse

Thirteen men convicted of downloading child pornography were interviewed with a view to understanding how these men talked about the photographs and the function such talk played in their accounts. The interviews were informed by earlier work with defended subjects and were analyzed within a discursive framework. Quotations are used from the interviews to illustrate the analysis. Six principal discourses emerged within these accounts in relation to child pornography: sexual arousal; as collectibles; facilitating social relationships; as a way of avoiding real life; as therapy; and in relation to the Internet. These are discussed in the context of previous research. The analysis illustrates the important role that the Internet plays in increasing sexual arousal to child pornography and highlights individual differences in whether this serves as a substitute or as a blueprint for contact offenses. It also draws our attention to the important role that community plays in the Internet and how collecting facilitates the objectification of children and increases the likelihood that in the quest for new images children continue to be sexually abused. Discourses focussing on both therapy and addiction serve to distance the respondent from personal agency and allow for continued engagement with child pornography.

Model of Problematic Internet Use in People with a Sexual Interest in Children

Agencies working with sex offenders are starting to see the emergence of people with a sexual interest in children who meet some of their needs through the use of child pornography, or the seduction of children, through the Internet. While CBT models dominate our understanding of sex offenders, there has been little research into the role that such new technologies may play in offending behavior. Data from the COPINE project has been used to generate a model of such offending behavior that emphasizes the role of cognitions in both the etiology, engagement with and problematic use of the Internet for those with a sexual interest in children. Such a model seeks to incorporate contemporary thinking about the role of cognitions in Pathological Internet Use, but applies this from a nonpathological perspective. This model is a first step towards providing a conceptual framework for such offending that will help inform both assessment and therapy.

Child Seduction and Self-Representation on the Internet

This paper presents a case study of a man charged with the offense of downloading child pornography from the Internet. He had used the Internet to traffic child pornography, and, in addition, to locate children to abuse, to engage in inappropriate sexual communication with children, and to communicate with other pedophiles. Such offenses were facilitated by self-representing in Chat rooms as both a child and an adult. The case study illustrates how such offenders move through a repertoire of offending behavior and discusses the role that the Internet can play in supporting inappropriate and disinhibited sexual behavior that victimizes children through the trading of child pornography and possible child seduction. The Internet is seen to play a unique role in allowing individuals to self-represent aspects that might otherwise remain hidden or dormant.

The Impact of Iatrogenically Acquired Hepatitis C Infection on the Well-being and Relationships of a Group of Irish Women

The views of 32 women with iatrogenic Hepatitis C on its impact on their sense of wellbeing were elicited through focus groups. The views obtained were analysed using ‘interpretative phenomenological analysis’. Accounts of profound fatigue, reactive depression, and deterioration in cognitive functioning predominated. Work outside and inside the home was severely curtailed or stopped. Marital relationships were affected, sometimes adversely, as were relationships with children and other family members. Participants experienced a general lack of understanding of their level of disability, yet also felt the need to shield others from worry. Overall results suggested that participants’ compromised health was having a major impact on their sense of identity.

The internet and offending behaviour: A case study

Abstract Summary: The COPINE Project at the Department of Applied Psychology, seeks to address childrens vulnerability in relation to the Internet and child pornography. As part of the project, offenders convicted of downloading such images have been interviewed. This paper considers existing models of offender behaviour alongside literature relating to Internet use. A single case study is used to illustrate a process-focused model of offending, using interview material to demonstrate how the offender represented and accounted for his behaviour. The offender in question had no history of engaging in sexual behaviour with actual children, but his case illustrated many of the stages described by offenders in their involvement with pornography, including: setting events, engagement, collecting behaviour, and the emergence of relationships.

Pattern and Process in Disclosure of Health Status by Women with Iatrogenically Acquired Hepatitis C

Thirty-two women who acquired hepatitis C through prophylactic treatment for RH Haemolytic Disease participated in discussions about their decision to disclose their health status. Spouses, the woman’s birth family and close friends were the most likely confidants. Children were either very likely or very unlikely to be informed. The women told spouses, own family members, friends, children and employers and ‘near’ co-workers if these latter groups were informed. Divulging to ‘in laws’ was more likely to be done by the partner. Disclosure to people in general was more likely to happen through third parties. Organizational aspects of the health system could result in exposure. Women seeking redress because of the iatrogenic nature of the infection disclosed through the media. The consequences of disclosure were varied. The results are discussed in the light of research on disclosure by comparable populations. Disclosure emerges as a stressful process demanding constant vigilance and active management.

Rapid skill acquisition and online sexual grooming of children

14 Convicted men were interviewed who created an online space to offend.This was an aid to sexual fantasy and for some a precursor to contact offending.The Internet facilitated the rapid acquisition of expertise in sexual grooming. The limited research on online sexual grooming has largely focused on the stages of grooming, typologies of offenders, or comparisons with people who download abusive sexual images of children. Little attention has been paid to Internet affordances and the role these might play in the offending behavior, the development of expertise and the avoidance of detection. This exploratory, qualitative grounded theory study involved interviews with 14 men convicted of online grooming. The analysis indicated that the Internet was used to create a private space within which to engage in purposive, sexual behavior with young people. This engagement was for all an aid to fantasy, and for some was a precursor to an offline sexual assault. The opportunities afforded by Internet platforms not only allowed access to young people but facilitated the rapid acquisition of expertise.

A content analysis of a “boy love” support forum: Revisiting Durkin and Bryant

Abstract In 1999, Durkin and Bryant analysed an online “boy love” support forum and categorized justifications given by self-identified paedophiles for their sexual interest in children. The present study replicates this to identify how this forum is currently being used, given the changes in technology over the intervening years. It remains unclear whether or not interacting online influences the commission of offline sexual offences; however, receiving support from like-minded individuals is thought to promote pro-offending beliefs in socially isolated individuals. The results of this study offer an insight into the types of justifications used to account for a paedophilic sexual orientation and help to demonstrate how this forum functions to fulfil the needs of the “boy lovers” who make up the membership of this internet site. The study highlights changes over the last nine years, but provides support for increased use of such a forum, in spite of it being “old technology”.

A systematic review of interventions to promote social support and parenting skills in parents with an intellectual disability

The family support needs of parents with an intellectual disability (ID) are relatively unknown. This paper reviewed two types of intervention for parents with ID: those designed to strengthen social relationships and those teaching parenting skills. A literature search was conducted using electronic databases and a limited number of evaluative studies were found. The evidence for interventions aimed at strengthening social relationships was inconclusive; although positive changes were observed, there were limitations in study design which restricted the generalizability of the results. The evidence for parental skills teaching suggested that behavioural based interventions are more effective than less intensive forms such as lesson booklets and the provision of normal services, although these studies also had limitations. There is a need for further large scale controlled studies in this area to provide clearer evidence and to explore additional factors relating to child, parent and family which may impact on outcomes.

Social networking as a nexus for engagement and exploitation of young people

This paper addresses commonalities between two different forms of exploitation of young people - child abuse images and online solicitation and radicalisation. A number of areas of similarity are identified, and the implications of these commonalities are discussed. The role of social networking as a critical factor is particularly explored.