The challenges of identifying and classifying child sexual abuse material
Date
2017
Journal Title
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Volume Title
Publisher
Sexual abuse: A journal of research and treatment
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to (a) assess the reliability with which indecent
images of children (IIOC) are classified as being of an indecent versus nonindecent
nature, and (b) examine in detail the decision-making process engaged in by
law enforcement personnel who undertake the difficult task of identifying and
classifying IIOC as per the current legislative offense categories. One experienced
researcher and four employees from a police force in the United Kingdom coded
an extensive amount of IIOC (n = 1,212-2,233) to determine if they (a) were
deemed to be of an indecent nature, and (b) depicted a child. Interrater reliability
analyses revealed both considerable agreement and disagreement across coders,
which were followed up with two focus groups involving the four employees. The
first entailed a general discussion of the aspects that made such material more
or less difficult to identify; the second focused around images where there had
been either agreement (n = 20) or disagreement (n = 36) across coders that the
images were of an indecent nature. Using thematic analysis, a number of factors
apparent within IIOC were revealed to make the determination of youthfulness
and indecency significantly more challenging for coders, with most relating to the
developmental stage of the victim and the ambiguity of the context of an image.
Findings are discussed in light of their implications for the identification of victims
of ongoing sexual exploitation/abuse, the assessment and treatment of individuals
in possession of IIOC, as well as the practice of policing and sentencing this type
of offending behavior.
Description
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Article
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Keywords
indecent images of children, child pornography, Internet sexual offenses, online child sexual abuse
Citation
Kloess, J. A., Woodhams, J., Whittle, H., Grant, T., & Hamilton-Giachritsis, C. E. (2017). The challenges of identifying and classifying child sexual abuse material. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment.1079063217724768.