A closer look into child pornography, paedophilia
Sam Vaknin author of "Malignant Self-love"
A closer look into child pornography, paedophilia
The worst is that a pedophile could be your boyfriend, a schoolteacher, a bus driver or preacher at your church.
In light of the arrest of a Boksburg man alleged to be involved in child pornography on September 30, the Advertiser sought expert advice on what exactly is child pornography and on how to spot a paedophile.
Truth is though all parents want to protect their children from predators, the problem is that it is quite difficult to spot a pedophile as they don’t have a distinguishing look.
But most paedophiles are said to be initially trusted by the children they abuse.
According to Kidz Clinic, child pornography refers to images or films depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child; as such, child pornography is a visual record of child sexual abuse.
The organisation that deals with abused children, states that child pornography is viewed and collected by paedophiles for a variety of purposes, ranging from private sexual uses, trading with other paedophiles, preparing children for sexual abuse as part of the process known as ‘child grooming’, or enticement leading to entrapment for sexual exploitation such as production of new child pornography or child prostitution.
Today, child pornography is a multi-billion dollar industry and among the fastest growing criminal segments on the Internet.
Author Sam Vaknin * said in an article posted on the Kidz Clinic website that paedophiles come from all walks of life and have no common socio-economic background.
The vast majority of paedophiles are also drawn to adults of the opposite sex (are heterosexuals).
Vaknin said that moreover, at least one fifth (and probably more) of the population have paedophiliac fantasies.
“The prevalence of child pornography and child prostitution prove it.
“Paedophiles start out as “normal” people and are profoundly shocked and distressed to discover their illicit sexual preference for the pre-pubertal.
“The process and mechanisms of transition from socially acceptable sexuality to much-condemned (and criminal) paedophilia are still largely mysterious,” said Vaknin.
Paedophiles seem to have narcissistic and antisocial (psychopathic) traits, while most paedophiles are involved in the distribution of child pornography.
Vaknin said children in cyberspace are mere representations – often nothing more than erotic photos and screen names.
“It is crucial to realize that paedophiles are not enticed by the children themselves, by their bodies, or by their budding and nubile sexuality. Rather, paedophiles are drawn to what children symbolize, to what preadolescents stand for and represent.”
* Vaknin (samvak.tripod.com) is the author of Malignant Self Love – Narcissism Revisited and other books. He served as a columnist for online publications such as Central Europe Review, Global Politician, PopMatters, United Press International (UPI) (as Senior Business Correspondent), editor in The Open Directory and Suite101 and, until recently, the Economic Advisor to the Government of Macedonia.
