Use of New Communications and Information Technologies for Sexual Exploitation of Women and Children

• NCJ Number: 195713
• Journal: Hastings Women's Law Journal Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: Winter 2002 Pages: 129-148
• Author(s): Donna M. Hughes
• Date Published: 2002
• Length: 20 pages
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded June 26, 2002.

Annotation

The increase in types of media, media formats, and applications diversifies the means by which sexual predators can reach their victims; this paper describes the most common and newest of these technologies and how they are used for the sexual exploitation of women and children.

Abstract

The paper first describes how new and old technologies have been combined to create new ways of delivering information, news, and entertainment. Web TV combines the television with the Internet. New cable networks use satellite transmission to deliver hundreds of channels, and pay-per-view delivers content on demand. All of these new technologies are being used to one degree or another to bring pornographic materials to the public. This mainstreaming of pornography is increasing the exploitation or abuse of women and children used in making pornography. Another section of this paper provides an overview of new technologies for sexual exploitation. These include the Digital Video Disk (DVD) which provides high-quality videos and interactive capabilities for the viewer; Internet newsgroups, which are a popular means for exchanging information on how to find women and children for sexual exploitation; Internet websites, which are used in various ways to assist in the sexual exploitation of women and children; and Internet "chat rooms," in which sexual predators often entice child and adolescent Internet users into sexual conversation and expose them to sexual materials; such anonymous contacts can escalate into more direct contact, such as telephone conversations and eventual physical meetings. Other new technologies include File Transfer Protocol (FTP), which allows pornography collectors to have a one-to-one exchange of child pornography; live video chat; and peer-to-peer networks and file-swapping programs. Other technologies discussed are those that facilitate anonymity and disguise and "cyber highjacking," which involves misdirecting Internet users so they come to pornographic websites and using various techniques to trap Internet searchers into visiting their sites. 221 footnotes