As we mobilise towards Child Protection Week, which runs from 28 May to 4 June 2019, we urge parents to be vigilant with children in their care. The abuse of children continues to be a challenge that South Africa needs to work collectively to overcome.
The Western Cape High Court has reduced the sentence of a known paedophile, William Beale, from 15 years to 10 years after he was found guilty on more than 18 000 counts of possession of child pornography. Beale pleaded guilty to all charges and was initially sentenced to 15 years in jail which is the maximum sentence for possession of child pornography.
The images contained in the external hard-drive in the possession of Beale included boys and girls below the ages of two years, with some depicted being sexually abused. Beale used these images for his continued sexual gratification. Some of these images openly displayed the faces of the victims, who will have to deal with the stigma for the rest of their lives. The images will continue to be passed on from one person to another infinitely.
Was the 15-year sentence too harsh on Beale?
Often society’s attitude towards the likes of Beale is influenced by images of monster-like, solitary characters but research has shown that viewers of child pornography are more likely than not to be in a relationship, employed, have above average IQ and possess tertiary qualifications. In short, contrasted with the stereotype, these people can evoke public sympathy if asked to do so by a good advocate.
Beale’s lawyer at the Western Cape High Court for instance questioned the danger his client posed to society while viewing pornographic material in the privacy of his own home. He added that his client had shown no tendency of changing from what is commonly a “hands-off perpetrator” to a “hands-on perpetrator”. So, watching child sexual abuse materials is a victimless crime then? Apart from the absurdity of this argument, we know that using children to create pornography is illegal, not to mention grossly immoral. It is for a good reason that this paedophile hid his deeds.
The effects of child sexual abuse material on victims
And his victims have not experienced the worst of their life-long nightmare. Having their faces displayed in these materials is not the only problem these children will have to face. In addition to the immediate physical injury, the victims will most likely suffer a slew of effects: nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are just some of the long-term scars that come with experiencing such an ordeal, thanks to Beale and his cohort of child pornography users and traders.
The extent of the problem globally
This multi-billion-dollar illicit trade is carried out on the so-called Dark Web and only people with special access participate in this inhumane trade. Research shows that the demand for child pornography has been growing globally. This is thanks in part to developments in the Information Communications and Technologies (ICTs) which facilitate easy access and therefore drive demand. Today it is easy to get hold of devices that allow one to create, distribute and store large volumes of child sexual abuse material.
Statistics from Inhope, an international network of hotlines dedicated to eradicating child sexual abuse materials, show that 82% of these materials involve children between 0 – 13 years of age. So, far from a harmless viewer of pornography in the privacy of his home, Beale must have taken specific measures to access and build up his hoard of illegal material, fuelling this societal scourge.
An FPB Child Protection Officer, trained and certified by Inhope on content analysis, acted as an expert witness alongside law enforcement agencies in the investigation and prosecution of this case. This forms part of the organisation’s mandate of protecting children from premature exposure to pornography and ensuring that perpetrators of this heartless crime are punished by law. The FPB receives referrals from law enforcement agencies and members of the public daily, showing just how concerned the public is about this scourge.
The FPB feels strongly that reducing the sentence from the maximum of 15 years is a slap in the face of the victims and all those affected by child pornography, the children whose lives are irreversibly destroyed as well as their parents.
As we mobilise towards Child Protection Week, which runs from 28 May to 4 June 2019, we urge parents to be vigilant with children in their care. The abuse of children continues to be a challenge that South Africa needs to work collectively to overcome.
What can parents do to protect their children?
– Often children used in the child sexual abuse materials are not abducted, so someone known to the child and family could perpetrate this crime.
– Parents must cultivate a safe environment that allows children to speak freely about how they feel when adults or anyone around them ask them to do things that make them uncomfortable.
– Is your child being groomed to participate in this scourge?
Report suspected child pornography (or child sexual abuse materials) to the FPB’s Child Protection Hotline: www.fpbhotline.org.za or call 0800 148 148
Hello are using WordPress for your site platform? I’m new to
the blog world but I’m trying to get started and create my own. Do you require any html coding knowledge to make
your own blog? Any help would be really appreciated!
Simply desire to say your article is as astounding. The clarity for your submit is simply spectacular and that
i could think you are knowledgeable in this subject.
Well along with your permission allow me to grasp your RSS feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post.
Thank you one million and please carry on the rewarding work.
My relatives all the time say that I am killing my time here at web, except I know I am
getting familiarity every day by reading such nice posts.
Yes! Finally someone writes about slot server kamboja.
Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an extremely long comment but after I
clicked submit my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Regardless, just wanted
to say excellent blog!
Howdy just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let you know a few of the images aren’t loading correctly.
I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue.
I’ve tried it in two different web browsers and both show the same results.
Hi, I do think this is an excellent website. I stumbledupon it 😉 I will return once again since I
book-marked it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue
to guide other people.
Hi to every one, since I am in fact eager of reading this weblog’s
post to be updated daily. It contains pleasant material.
In his new position, Martin will retain his role in strategising and
overseeing the efficiency of Rank Interactive.
Feel free to visit my blog post; Waldo
You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something which I think I would never understand.
It seems too complicated and very broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to
get the hang of it!
This is very interesting, You are a very skilled blogger.
I’ve joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your fantastic post.
Also, I’ve shared your web site in my social networks!
Aw, this was a very nice post. Taking the time and actual effort to produce a top notch article… but what can I say… I hesitate
a whole lot and never seem to get nearly anything done.
Thank you, I’ve recently been searching for information approximately this subject for
a while and yours is the best I have found out so far.
However, what about the bottom line? Are you certain concerning
the supply?
Can I show my graceful appreciation and tell you exactly
how to do really good stuff and if you want to with no joke truthfully see Let me tell you a
brief about how to make passive income I
am always here for yall you know that right?
I know this website provides quality depending content and other stuff, is there any other web page which provides such data in quality?
If you desire to take a great deal from this piece of writing then you have to
apply these methods to your won web site.
I wanted to thank you for this excellent read!! I certainly loved every bit of it. I have got you saved as a favorite to check out new stuff you post…
Good post. I am experiencing many of these issues
as well..
Hi there to all, the contents existing at this website are really remarkable for people experience,
well, keep up the nice work fellows.
It’s an awesome piece of writing in favor of all the online visitors; they will take benefit from it I
am sure.
What’s up, everything is going perfectly here and ofcourse every one is sharing
information, that’s truly good, keep up writing.
Hello, the whole thing is going nicely here and ofcourse every one
is sharing information, that’s genuinely excellent, keep up writing.
Hi there, always i used to check blog posts here in the early hours
in the break of day, since i love to find out
more and more.
Article writing is also a fun, if you know afterward you can write or else it is complex to write.
you are really a excellent webmaster. The web site loading velocity is incredible.
It seems that you are doing any distinctive trick.
Moreover, The contents are masterwork. you’ve performed a wonderful activity on this matter!
Asking questions are really fastidious thing if you are
not understanding anything completely, but this paragraph presents good understanding even.
What a data of un-ambiguity and preserveness of valuable know-how on the
topic of unpredicted emotions.
No matter if some one searches for his essential thing, therefore he/she desires to be available that in detail, so that thing is maintained over here.
I used to be suggested this blog by my cousin. I’m now not positive whether this publish is written through him as no one else understand such unique approximately
my difficulty. You are wonderful! Thank you!
Wonderful post! We will be linking to this particularly great content on our website.
Keep up the good writing.
Heya i’m for the primary time here. I came across this board and I find It really helpful & it helped me out much.
I’m hoping to give something back and aid others like you helped me.
Hey there! Quick question that’s totally off topic.
Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My weblog looks weird
when viewing from my iphone 4. I’m trying to find a theme or plugin that might be able to correct this issue.
If you have any recommendations, please share.
Many thanks!
Your means of describing all in this paragraph is genuinely good, every one be able to easily
know it, Thanks a lot.
Hey there are using WordPress for your blog platform?
I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and create my own. Do you need any coding knowledge to make your own blog?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
This piece of writing will help the internet visitors
for building up new website or even a blog from start to end.
Excellent post. I was checking continuously this
weblog and I’m inspired! Extremely helpful information specifically the
ultimate phase 🙂 I take care of such info a lot.
I was looking for this certain information for a long time.
Thanks and best of luck.
hello there and thank you for your info – I have certainly picked up something
new from right here. I did however expertise a few technical points using this website, since I experienced to reload the site many times previous
to I could get it to load correctly. I had been wondering if your hosting is OK?
Not that I’m complaining, but slow loading instances times will often affect your placement in google and can damage your quality score if ads and marketing with Adwords.
Anyway I’m adding this RSS to my e-mail and could look out for a lot
more of your respective exciting content. Ensure that you update this again soon.
Today, I went to the beach with my children. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed the shell to her ear and screamed.
There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is entirely off topic but I had to tell
someone!
Hi everybody, here every one is sharing such knowledge, therefore it’s
nice to read this weblog, and I used to pay a quick
visit this webpage every day.
Hello just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let you know a few
of the pictures aren’t loading properly. I’m not sure
why but I think its a linking issue. I’ve tried it in two different
internet browsers and both show the same outcome.
Hello this is kind of of off topic but I was wanting to know if blogs use
WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually
code with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding skills so I wanted to get guidance from someone with experience.
Any help would be enormously appreciated!
Thank you for sharing your info. I truly appreciate your efforts and I will be waiting for
your next write ups thanks once again.
Great beat ! I would like to apprentice at the same time as you
amend your website, how can i subscribe for a
blog web site? The account helped me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright
clear idea
Having read this I believed it was extremely informative.
I appreciate you finding the time and energy to put
this information together. I once again find myself personally spending
way too much time both reading and leaving comments.
But so what, it was still worthwhile!
Greetings! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this
site? I’m getting tired of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at options for another platform.
I would be great if you could point me in the direction of a good
platform.
Hello! I know this is kinda off topic but I’d figured I’d ask.
Would you be interested in exchanging links or maybe guest writing
a blog post or vice-versa? My website discusses a
lot of the same topics as yours and I feel we could greatly benefit
from each other. If you’re interested feel free to shoot me an email.
I look forward to hearing from you! Terrific blog by the way!
Hi! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but
after browsing through some of the post I realized it’s new to me.
Anyways, I’m definitely glad I found it and I’ll be bookmarking
and checking back often!