What's the Harm?
Many people assume that pornography is harmless. They imagine it has no
effect on them or others. The reality, however, is that pornography has
far-reaching destructive consequences. It harms the individual users,
those around them, and, of course, those who are photographed and abused.
This harm is particularly serious in the case of child pornography.
Illegal child pornography, by definition, is pictures or videos of
girls and/or boys under the age of 18 who are involved in sexual acts
or “lewd and lascivious” poses. Pubescent child porn includes
children 12-17 years of age. Prepubescent child porn shows kids prior
to puberty.
In recent years, the supply of child pornography has mushroomed, thanks
to the internet. As a result, many men have become “hooked”
on it. Not every man who views child porn is a classic “pedophile.”
But easy accessibility to child pornography through the internet has attracted
and then captured the interest of many men. These men have often experienced
some sort of abuse in their formative years and are psychologically vulnerable
to underage porn.
What, then, are the specific harms of child pornography? Below are
listed three major areas of harm. For further information, click on
the relevant listing.
Harm to the Children of Child Porn
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