Merdian, H.L., Wilson, N., Thakker, J., Curtis, C. & Boer, D. P. (2013).
Sexual Offender Treatment, 8(1), 1-19.
Aim/ Background:
There has been some professional discussion surrounding the “function” of child pornography offending for the individual offender: Why is someone looking at child pornography and what needs are met with this behaviour? The limited research in this area has mainly focused on information extracted from interview transcripts, which is likely biased by the offender’s situation at the time.
Material/Method:
Using a computerised online survey, child pornography offenders (with and without contact sex offences against minors) were questioned anonymously about their motivations to start viewing child pornography material.
Results:
Thematic Analysis lead to the development of a topical map that revealed four main themes in their offence motivations: (1) no (direct) explanation provided, (2) initial triggers of their child pornography consumption, (3) emotional reasons, and (4) sexual reasons. These themes were analysed with regards to their subthemes, their relationship with each other and to the offending behaviour. Offender characteristics differed between the thematic groups. In addition, “pure” child pornography offenders were more likely than offenders with contact victims to provide more than one explanation for their behaviour. Individuals with contact offences were found more likely to admit a sexual interest in children.
Conclusions:
These findings point to the value of a motivation-based offender typology. For treatment providers, the assessment of offence motivations appears as a promising source about an individual’s risks and needs.
From the “Explanations provided for CP Offending” section – prolonged exposure and potential desensitation to legal pornography lead to the offender using child pornography (CP):
Progression from legal material. For nine participants, their CP offending appeared to be the result of prolonged exposure and potential desensitation to legal pornography. Some participants provided fairly detailed responses of their journey:
The gradual escalation from normal adult material to more extreme material (dehumanising) after first accessing the internet, that I used it to cope with emotional and stressful situations. Followed by viewing younger and younger woman, girls and preteen, i.e. child modeling [sic] and cartoons showing extreme adult and other abusive subject matter. (Case 5164)
Again, some of the responses clearly linked back to a developing sexual interest in children, based on increasing exposure to the material. Overall, this theme shared some similarities with the previous theme in that CP, used as a source of sexual satisfaction, acts as a potential stress reliever. However, for offenders belonging to this thematic group, CP had been approached via progression through other forms of pornography, which may still be used.
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