Why do individuals watch child pornography? (Child sexual abuse material)

FAQ Category:

Adult's Behaviors

There many reasons why people may look at what is now referred to as child sexual abuse material (CSAM), once called child pornography. Not everyone who looks at CSAM has a primary sexual attraction to children, although for some this is the case. And, not everyone realizes that CSAM is harmful and illegal. They may not realize that they are watching a crime and that, by doing so, are committing a crime themselves.

Some people accidentally find sexual images of children and are curious or aroused by them. They may justify their behavior by saying they weren’t looking for the pictures, they just “stumbled across” them, etc.

Some people find themselves losing control over their use of pornography. For example they may notice they are spending more and more time looking at it and, for some, looking for more extreme and more taboo types of pornography. They may find this kind of content appealing, and they may find themselves looking for it more often, which can lead to them looking for CSAM.

Some people may look at CSAM because of their own history of trauma or abuse. They may feel that this is a way for them to understand what they went through.

Young people, including children and teenagers, may look for pictures or videos of their peers doing sexual things because they are curious, or want to know more about sex. Many youth who look for this content do not realize that it is illegal for them to look at it, even if they are a minor themselves.

And some others may watch CSAM when they are using drugs and/or alcohol, or have a psychiatric condition that prevents them from understanding their own harmful behavior. While others may watch it because of other extreme stressors in their lives.

These reasons are not excuses for their behavior, but instead ways to help us recognize that there are many different reasons why any individual looks at CSAM.

Some adults may justify looking at CSAM by saying to themselves or others that they would never behave sexually with a child in person or that there is no “real” child being harmed. However, survivors have described difficulty healing when their past abuse is continuing to be viewed by strangers, making it hard for them to reclaim that part of their life. Children and teenagers are being sexually abused in order to create the images or videos being viewed. Excuses such as “they’re smiling so they must be okay” ignore that these children and youth are being told what to do by adults, may be threatened to do this, and are not legally able to consent. They are being traumatized, manipulated, and used. Having CSAM available online means that children are re-victimized each time it is viewed [1].

For some people, looking at CSAM can start to feel out of their control, with some describing it as an “addiction”. These people often share that their viewing habits have deeply affected their personal, work or family life, and they may have trouble changing their habits despite wanting to and taking steps to do so.

Adults looking at this abusive content need to be reminded that it is illegal, that the images they’re looking at are documentation of a crime being committed, and there is a real survivor being harmed from these images.

Getting Help

Understanding more about why someone may view CSAM can help identify what can be done to address and stop this behavior – but it’s not enough. Working with a counselor, preferably a specialist in sexual behaviors, can begin to help individuals who view CSAM take control of their illegal viewing behavior, and be accountable, responsible, and safe.

If you are recognizing any warning signs in your own or another adult’s online behaviors, or know someone who has shared that they struggle with watching illegal content there are steps you can take to help them find specialized help and support to make safe decisions online.

Learn More

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References

[1] Lee, H. E., Ermakova, T., Ververis, V., & Fabian, B. (2020). Detecting child sexual abuse material: A comprehensive survey. Forensic Science International: Digital Investigation, 34, 301022.