Editorial - European Union Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Crime...
The paedophile ring communicated
using an online forum – boylover.net –
that promoted sexual relationships
between adults and young boys.
”The website operated from a server
based in the Netherlands which attempted
to operate as a ‘discussion–only’
forum where people could share their
sexual interest in young boys without
committing any specific offences, thus
working ‘below the radar’ of police
attention,” said Europol.
Having made contact on the site, some
members would move to more private
channels to exchange and share illegal
images and films of children being abu -
sed. Computers seized from those arrested
have harvested huge quantities of
child abuse images and videos.
Police infiltrated the site, and Europol
analysts cracked the security features of
a key computer server at the centre of
the network which uncovered the identities
of suspected child sex offenders.
Europol issued over 4,000 intelligence
reports to police authorities in over 30
countries in Europe and elsewhere,
which has led to the arrests of suspects
and the safeguarding of children.
”I am proud of the exceptional work
of our experts in helping police authorities
around the world to record these
4
Continued from page 3
Most law enforcement agencies working with child sexual abuse
material (CAM) believe it is time to stop the use of the misleading
term “child pornography” when describing images of the sexual
abuse of children. It would be better to use a term or title that gives
a better understanding of the crime and more respect to the child
victims of such abuse.
A sexual image of a child is “abuse” or “exploitation” and should
never be described as “pornography”. Pornography is a term used
for adults engaging in consensual sexual acts distributed (mostly)
legally to the general public for their sexual pleasure. Child abuse
images are not. They involve children who cannot and would not
consent and who are victims of a crime.
The child abuse images are documented evidence of a crime, not
as police would photograph a crime scene where the crime has
already been committed, but as a “crime in progress” – a child
being sexually abused.
Adults who are sexually aroused by these abuse images of children
do not care if or believe that the child is being abused. By calling
the images “child porn” or “kiddy porn” it allows them to think
groundbreaking results,” said Rob
Wainwright, Director of Europol. ”The
safeguarding of so many vulnerable
children is particularly rewarding and
demonstrates the commitment of our
agency to make Europe a safer place for
its citizens.”
As the operation “Rescue” continues,
new arrests can be expected. As Peter
Davies from the Britain's Child
Exploitation and Online Protection
Centre told media, ”those who have be -
en members of the site can expect a
knock on the door in the very near
future.”
...and punishment
With the improvements in their equipment
and training on fighting new types
of crime, police in Bosnia and Herze -
govina have also become a partner in
the global effort to stymie the production
and distribution of child abuse
material on the Internet. Only a week
after the operation “Rescue”, BiH law
enforcement agencies conducted acti -
ons in Brčko District and Republika
Srpska, arresting five persons and seizing
a large quantity of equipment, CDs
and DVDs. The search of one of the
suspects’ premises uncovered the
largest amount of child abuse material
ever found in BiH.
”Police officers seized more than two
million pictures and 7,000 recordings
portraying sexual abuse of children, as
well as a bag full of children’s’ clothes,”
said Republika Srpska Ministry of In -
terior Spokesperson, Mirna Šoja.
One of biggest changes, which ena -
bled this successful police operation,
was the amendment of the Republika
Srpska Criminal Code.
”In May 2010, RS Criminal Code was
amended in line with the International
cyber convention whose signatory is
Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Šoja.
”These changes created better conditions
for police work because, for example,
in accordance with previous provisions
in the law, the possession of child
pornography was not a criminal
offense, only the distribution was. New
amendments to the Code stipulate that
the possession of child pornography is a
criminal offense as well.”
As the legal framework is one of the
key preconditions for a successful fight
against child abuse on the Internet,
EUPM legal experts made an assessment
of legal provisions in Federation
BiH, Republika Srpska and Brčko
District regarding this type of crime.
”Prohibition of child abuse material
is regulated at the entity level,” says
Marie-Ursula Kind, EUPM Senior Cri -
mi nal Justice Expert. ”The criminal
codes of Federation BiH, Republika
Terminology:
Child Porn vs. Child Abuse Material
that it is somehow acceptable, like other types of pornography. The
adults who view these images also possess and trade this material
to fuel their sexual desires towards children and this may result in
an offence towards a child they come in contact with.
The terms "kiddy porn" and "child porn" are used by criminals
and should not be legitimized by law enforcement, judiciary, the
public or media. Legislation in some countries, or even the names of
the departments dealing with child sexual abuse within the police,
may use terms like "child pornography", making the term difficult to
avoid. Such definitions and names reflect an era where one did not
fully understand the impact of sexual abuse and is slowly changing
as legislation is revised and the victims are given better protection
and rights. Law enforcement, as the first line professionals, should
contribute to this change by being precise in their terminology.
Children who have been sexually abused and photographed
deserve to be protected and respected and not have the seriousness
of their abuse trivialized by the term "porn". �
Source: Interpol
European Union Police Mission | www.eupmbih.eu