Child Pornography, as defined by US federal law, is any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving an individual under 18 years of age. (18 U.S.C. § 2251-18 U.S.C. § 2252) The majority of victim advocacy agencies use the term Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) “to most accurately reflect what is depicted – the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.” (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children/NCMEC). Victims of this crime are faced with dealing with the initial abuse as well as the knowledge that the videos/images of their abuse are being viewed by others online. Unlike the initial abuse, CSAM is a crime that will most likely never end.
“It’s important to remember CSAM consists of much more than just images and video files. While CSAM is seen and transmitted on computers and through other technology, these images and videos depict actual crimes being committed against children.” (NCMEC).
Most importantly, please know there are multiple resources to provide assistance if you are a survivor of this crime. If you have questions about available resources, please reach out to us.