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LightAMillionCandles.com

This page will be devoted to the growing issue of Internet Pornography, involving both adults as well as images of children. Some of this information may be disturbing:

These numbers are startling:

•1 out of 3 children* are exposed to sexually explicit images online they did not want to view

(Previously 1 in 4 )

(*Youth Internet Safety Study-2)

• Average age of 1st exposure is 11 years old(Family Safe Media)
• Pornography is a tool frequently used by predators to lure and coax children--
• Pornography is now going "mobile"(cell phones, etc)

Child Pornography

Defined as any visual depiction, including any photograph, film, video, or computer or computer-generated image or picture, whether made or produced by electronic, mechanical, or other means, of sexually explicit conduct, where

• the production of such visual depiction involves the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct;

• such visual depiction is a digital image, computer image, or computer-generated image that is, or is indistinguishable from, that of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; or

• such visual depiction has been created, adapted, or modified to appear that an identifiable minor is engaging in sexually explicit conduct

42 U.S.C. 13032--REPORTING OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY BY ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION SERVICE PROVIDERS

• Whoever, while providing an electronic communication service or a remote computing service to the public through a facility or means of interstate or foreign commerce, obtains knowledge of facts or circumstances from which a violation of certain offenses involving child pornography is apparent, must report those facts or circumstances to the [CyberTipline] at the National Center for Missing [&] Exploited Children as soon as is reasonably possible.

• 20% of Internet Porn involves images of children
• Child  pornography images have increased 1500% since 1988 (National Childrens Homes report)
• More than 20,000 child pornography images are posted online every WEEK(National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children) 
• 40% are considered “dual offenders”- those who are arrested with pornography, may also victimize children, suggesting there may be a correlation between the two
• Demand for pornographic images of infants and toddlers is "soaring"(Professor M. Taylor)
• UNICEF estimates that one million children are forced into prostitution or used to produce pornography each year, many by their own families.
• The Internet also has given dealers in child pornography a far bigger audience--and anonymity

• What is a pedophile?  Pedophilia, is a psychological disorder, someone who has  a distinct sexual preference for pre-pubescent children

• What is a hebephiles? Someone who has a sexual preference towards pubescent adolescents

• The desire and need to keep coming back for pornographic images.

(Dr. Victor Cline, clinical psychologist at the University of Utah)

IMPORTANT LINKS regarding PORNOGRAPHY:

• http://www.asacp.org/page.php?content=index

Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection

• http://www.enough.org

Donna Rice Hughes, advocate

• http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=1477

National Center of Missing and Exploited Children