I'm not sure why it surprises folks

Click on the title for the article in the NY Times about the link between downloading child porn and sexually abusing children.

According to the study, 85% of the men surveyed (that would be men currently serving federal sentences after convictions involving online child pornography) also admit sexually abusing children -- ranging from inappropriate touching to rape. Also, they found that the number of children they'd molested was 20 times the number prosecutors knew about.

For those who need a definition: generally, in the field, we define child sexual abuse by the intent of the perpetrator, not necessarily the actual act or reaction of the victim. For example: years ago, we had a 3 year old client and her mother come to the office. The mother discovered that her husband had been molesting their daughter during bathtime. The mother was bathing the child when she asked if they were going to play daddy's tickle game -- and the mom asked what the game was - and the child described the father performing oral sex on the child and having her perform oral sex on him. There was no doubt to this because the child was very explicit as to where exactly daddy tickled her and where he liked to be tickled. Even though the child did not understand what was actually going on - or didn't seem traumatized, it was still clearly sexual abuse.

It has always seemed a natural assumption that people who immerse themselves in deviant pornography (I'm not going to comment on all porn here - just child) would eventually find themselves reaching out to actual, live children. I believe that the issues of "self control" went out the window when they started viewing and collecting and consuming child porn. The internet has just made it easier to collect large volumes of the stuff -- and gives the illusion of privacy.

I know, there are some out there who would be concerned that if we start creating laws and policies as a result of this study, there MIGHT be a person who is punished without having committed the more heinous crime. So, lets not think of it as only punishing a criminal (and, yes, child porn - making or receiving it - is a crime) but also as protecting children from people we know are a risk to them. Frankly, we as adults have that responsibility anyway.