[Hungary] Child Pornography: Unstoppable. Half a Million New Recordings per Week, Nearly One Million New Users per Month | ChildHub - Child Protection Hub
On Safer Internet Day (11 February), Dr. Szilvia Gyurkó wrote six key points on the subject of child pornography.
Child pornography is one of the fastest growing crimes in the world
It is estimated that more than 480,000 items of child pornography are posted weekly on the Internet. Some of these sites are pornographic sites, some are dark web sharing pages, and others are circulating freely on the Internet. In Hungary, data for 2019 shows a three-fold increase in recordings of child sexual abuse.
There are counterfeits
Many times in the porn industry, adult porn actors are made to look like minors. This is not a crime. Some argue that this should be supported as it spares real children, but others say it should be prohibited because it contributes to the existence of ‘real’ child pornography.
What is child pornography?
The use of the term ‘child pornography’ is misleading because it gives the impression that the child’s sexual exploitation is based on his/her true consent. ‘Child pornography is the documentation of sexual abuse, one of the most serious forms of child abuse’. Hungarian law protects people under the age of 18 from having pornographic images made about them, but the Criminal Code also allows consensual sex from the age of 14.
Who can become a victim?
Families living in poverty with multiple disadvantages are most at risk of sexual exploitation. It is often the case that children are sold or offered by their own family to provide sexual services. In developing countries in Asia or Africa, children often have to ‘provide services’ to adults through webcams. Most of the victims are girls, but boys are also affected. Of these children, 91percent are below the age of thirteen, and 63percent are under the age of eight.
What should be done with the perpetrators?
According to research, the perpetrators are almost exclusively men between the ages of 18 and 45, socially well-integrated, often with families, and typically with high levels of education. The question is not whether or not they should be punished. The question is, what punishment would be appropriate. Because of the high number of repeat offenders, the use of registered sex offenders lists is to be discussed, as is prohibiting occupations involving close proximity to children.
Where can I report child pornography I find on the web?
NMHH operates an online interface (http://nmhh.hu/internethotline/) where you can report offensive pages, posts, and paedophile content found on the Internet. The site’s staff can also help to clarify if it is possible to file a criminal complaint regarding the content.