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<strong>Child</strong> PornograPhy First report oF the Dutch NatioNal rapporteur
Relationship between abuse and child pornography
Determining the exact nature of the relationship between the viewing of child abuse material and actual
physical abuse is complicated. 260 In any case, there seems to be a positive correlation 261 between
hands-on perpetrators of child abuse and the possession of child abuse material on their computers. 262
However, we cannot conclude from this that committing acts of abuse constitutes a progression from
the viewing of child abuse material. The most common hypothesis in the literature is that there is no
causal relationship between the viewing of child abuse material and committing hands-on offences. 263
The viewing of such material by itself therefore does not by definition constitute a risk factor that leads
to a hands-on sex offence: “seeking child abuse material is the result of a sexual interest in children, not the cause of
it.” 264 A meta-analysis by Seto et al. (2010) indicated that approximately half of convicted viewers of child
abuse images and films admitted to also having committed a hands-on offence. It also emerged from
this study that a group of hands-off offenders attempted to contact minors over the Internet, but did
not succeed in doing so 265 and therefore ultimately no hands-on offence was committed. 266 In addition,
the study team concluded that a preferential sexual interest in children by itself does not have to lead
to hands-on offences being committed. They also observed that the offenders who actually made their
sexual desires become a reality probably also possessed the personality traits and were in such situational
circumstances that facilitate abuse offences and criminal activity in general. 267 However, child abuse
material could reinforce any sexual fantasies and needs to physically abuse children. 268 The viewing of
abusive images and films could act as a means of normalising the sexual abuse of children and could
reinforce the desire to actually commit sexual abuse offences. 269 The viewing of images in which children
are being sexually abused may give rise to cognitive distortions, making it easier to cross the threshold
of actual physical abuse. 270 Contact with other individuals with a sexual preference for children via the
Internet could also serve to neutralise and legitimise the sexual abuse of children. Furthermore, the
notion of increasing one’s regard within such an online sub-culture may also motivate perpetrators to
commit a hands-on offence. These hypotheses have never been empirically verified, however. 271
Relationship between perpetrator and victim
Generally speaking, sexual abuse forms the basis for the production of child abuse material and perpetrators
in cases of sexual abuse are also generally known to their victims. It is rarely the case that perpetrators
are strangers to the victims and as a rule they are situational offenders. 272 It emerged from a study
260 Van Wijk et al., 2009.
261 A correlation is a relationship between two variables; however this does not mean that there is also a
causal relationship between the two variables that were measured.
262 Seto et al., 2011; Bourke & Hernandez, 2009; Van Wijk et al., 2009.
263 Van Wijk et al., 2009; Endrass et al., 2009; Seto et al., 2011.
264 Lanning, 2010, p.108.
265 In other words, this activity did not lead to an actual meeting.
266 Seto et al., 2011.
267 Seto et al., 2011.
268 Quayle & Taylor, 2001; Taylor & Quayle, 2003, p.54.
269 Quayle & Taylor, 2001.
270 Taylor & Quayle, 2003, pp.54-55.
271 Wolak et al., 2008.
272 Leuw et al., 2004, p.110; Lanning, 2010.