Protectia copilului impotriva pedofiliei in mediul online – Eseurile castigatorilor concursului ELSA Bucuresti

Pandrea Ana Maria:

„Potentialul negativ al sexului dintre un adult si un copil a fost supraevaluat si marea majoritate a barbatilor si femeilor nu au raportat niciun efect sexual negativ in urma experientelor de abuz sexual din copilarie.”, aceasta este concluzia unui raport emis de APA ( Asociatia Americana pentru Psihiatrie) in 1998. De asemenea, B4U-Act, o organizatie din SUA avand ca scop declarat sustinerea psihologica si emotionala a pedofililor a organizat anul trecut un simpozion pentru a propune o noua definitie a pedofiliei in „Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders” al APA, considerand ca pedofilii sunt doar „oameni atrasi de minori”.

Dictionarul explicativ al limbii romane defineste pedofilia drept o atractie sexuala pentru copii (indiferent de sexul lor), cuvantul fiind imprumutat din francezul „pedophilie”, fiind o adaptare din limba greaca (παις (pais) „baiat, copil“ si φιλια (philia) „prietenie“) si reprezentand o tulburare, perversiune sexuala care se manifesta prin inclinatia erotico-sexuala a unui adult fata de un copil, termenul fiind folosit pentru prima data in anul 1896 in lucrarea Psychopathia sexualis de catre psihiatrul vienez Richard von Krafft-Ebing.

Pedofilul este, prin urmare, adultul care are preferinte heterosexuale sau homosexuale pentru copiii ce se incadreaza intr-o anumita limita de varsta. Pedofilii online se impart in doua categorii: amatorii (dabblers) si infractorii preferentiali (preferential offender). Amatorul este adolescentul tipic care cauta informatii pornografice pe internet, un adult curios care a descoperit accesul la informatii de acest tip sau un infractor motivat de dorinta de a obtine profit. Infractorul preferential este de obicei un individ fara discriminari sexuale, cu o gama variata de interese sexuale deviante sau un pedofil cu o preferinta clar definita pentru copii.” Acest tip de activitate online este ilegala in SUA, „The Chile Protection Act” din 1984 interzicand pornografia infantila, crescand numarul penalitatilor pentru adultii care desfasoara astfel de activitati.

Cu privire la forma pe care o poate imbraca exploatarea sexuala a copiilor, pedofilii in mediul online pot alege sa se angajeze in conversatii sexuale explicite sau chiar sa-i expuna pe copii unor imagini, materiale sau informatii cu caracter pornografic, fiind motivati de dorinta de a-si convinge vulnerabilele tinte sa se intalneasca ulterior fata in fata pentru a dezvolta relatii adevarate cu acestia, profitand de curiozitatea adolescentilor care cauta sa afle din mediul online raspunsuri pe care multi dintre ei evita sa le puna parintilor sau apropiatilor.

Intr-o alta clasificare, pedofilii online sunt considerati fie persoane care vizioneaza pedofilie infantila, fie cei care o produc si o distribuie, fie pradatori online, care se folosesc de internet pentru a ajunge la victimele lor. Nu exista un profil tipic al pedofililor online, cu exceptia faptului ca acestia sunt marea majoritate de genul masculin. Pradatorii online se impart si ei in doua mari categorii: aceia care se pretind a fi tineri care cauta sa-si manipuleze potentialele victime pana in punctul in care sa abuzeze sexual de ele si cei care nu mint cu privire la varsta sau interesele sexuale si care se pretind a fi un prieten, un confident sau un mentor, care ii va ajuta pe tineri sa-si descopere sexualitatea. Codul criminal canadian interzice acest tip de comportament chiar daca potentiala victima este in deplina cunostinta de cauza cu privire la natura relatiei pe care ar urma sa o aiba cu pradatorul online.

In legislatia autohtona, pedofilia se inscrie in categoria abuzului sexual (denumit si violenta sexuala), definit in legea Legea nr. 217/22 mai 2003 republicata pentru prevenirea si combaterea violentei in familie, publicata in MO nr. 365 din 30 mai 2012: „violenta sexuala – agresiune sexuala, impunere de acte degradante, hartuire, intimidare, manipulare, brutalitate in vederea intretinerii unor relatii sexuale fortate, viol conjugal;”

Noul Cod Penal enumera si defineste actele de violenta sexuala care constituie infractiuni: violul (art. 218 CP), agresiunea sexuala (art. 219 CP), actul sexual cu un minor (art. 220 CP), racolarea minorilor in scopuri sexuale (art. 222 CP), coruptia sexuala (art. 221 CP) si incestul (art. 377 CP), insa nu exista o reglementare expresa cu privire la pedofilie in general, cu atat mai putin cu privire la cea din mediul online.

Conventia de la Lazarote, din 25 octombrie 2007 pentru protectia copiilor impotriva exploatarii sexuale si a abuzurilor sexuale, publicata in M. Of al Romaniei si aflata in vigoare din 29.12.2010 reglementeaza la articolul 18 obligativitatea statelor de a lua masurile necesare pentru a incrimina activitatile sexuale cu un copil potrivit prevederilor in vigoare ale dreptului national, nu a implinit varsta legala pentru viata sexuala si mentioneaza la articolul 2 ca „fiecare parte va decide varsta pana la care este interzisa desfasurarea de activitati sexuale cu un copil”, prin urmare intentia finala a pedofililor din mediul online, aceea de a intretine relatii reale cu minorii, este incriminata si prin aceasta reglementare.

Articolul 20 al aceluiasi act normativ priveste obligativitatea statelor de a incrimina pornografia infantila, deseori asociata cu pedofilia in mediul online, fiind folosita de catre autorii acestor fapte pentru a le atrage sau santaja pe potentialele victime, in cazul in care detin materiale compromitatoare cu acestia, situatie de fapt prezenta in speta in baza careia ICCJ a dat decizia nr. 1230/2014, speta in care partea vatamata, minora fiind, a fost santajata cu difuzarea unui material video compromitator la adresa acesteia, pentru ca inculpatul sa obtina diferite beneficii materiale, acesta fiind sanctionat cu pedeapsa de 2 ani si 4 luni inchisoare si 1 an interzicerea exercitarii drepturilor prev.de art. 66 lit. a) si b) C. pen., ca pedeapsa complementara.

Articolul 23 din aceeasi conventie priveste obligativitatea statelor de a incrimina acostarea copiilor in scopuri sexuale – in cadrul careia se inscrie pedofilia in mediul online – avandu-se in vedere „propunerea facuta cu intentie de catre un adult, prin intermediul tehnologiilor de comunicare si informare, pentru a intalni un copil care nu a implinit varsta prevazuta de art. 18 paragraful 2 (fiecare parte va decide varsta pana la care este interzisa desfasurarea de activitati sexuale cu un copil), in scopul comiterii asupra acestuia a oricarei infractiuni dintre cele prevazute la art. 18 paragraful 1 lit. a) sau la art. 20 paragraful 1 lit. a) recrutarea unui copil in vederea participarii la spectacole pornografice sau favorizarea participarii unui copil la asemenea spectacole, daca propunerea a fost urmata de fapte materiale care conduc la o asemenea intalnire.”

Intrucat combaterea abuzului sexual, a exploatarii sexuale a copiilor si a pornografiei infantile, nu poate fi indeplinita intr-o masura suficienta numai de catre statele membre si tinand cont de dimensiunea si efectele sale, poate fi mai bine realizat la nivelul Uniunii, aceasta poate adopta masuri in conformitate cu principiile subsidiaritatii, astfel cum este mentionat la articolele 3 si 5 din Tratatul privind Uniunea Europeana.

In ceea ce priveste modalitatile de protectie a copiilor contra pedofiliei in mediul online, avem recomandarea numarul 5/2009 a Comitetului de Ministri privind protectia libertatii de expresie si a demnitatii umane in mediul informational si de comunicatii, privind asigurarea unui nivel coerent de protectie pentru minori impotriva continutului vatamator, in aceasta categorie intrand pornografia infantila, recrutarea copiilor in vederea traficului de fiinte umane, precum si orice alte forme de vatamare capabile sa afecteze in mod negativ fizic, emotional si psihologic starea de bine a minorilor. De asemenea, statele membre au obligatia pozitiva de a proteja drepturile membrilor sai, in aceasta categorie intrand protectia integritatii persoanelor vulnerabile, incluzand copiii si minorii.

In cauza CEDO K.U. impotriva Finlandei (Hotararea Cedo din 2 decembrie 2008) domnul K.U., cetatean finlandez nascut in 1986, s-a adresat Curtii europene, solicitand in principal sa se constate ca statul finlandez a esuat in ceea ce priveste respectarea obligatiei pozitive ce-i incumba in virtutea articolului 8 din Conventia europeana, de a-i proteja dreptul sau la viata privata. Reclamantul in varsta de 12 ani la momentul respectiv (15 martie 1999) a fost victima unui anunt ce continea date personale ale acestuia si in care se arata ca este in cautarea unei unei relatii intime cu un alt baiat de varsta lui sau mai in varsta. Tatal reclamantului a solicitat politiei sa identifice persoana care a postat anuntul pe Internet si sa-l puna sub acuzare, insa furnizorul de servicii IT a refuzat sa-i divulge identitatea, motivand necesitatea de a respecta confidentialitatea comunicatiilor, in conformitate cu legea.

Curtea a apreciat ca statul finlandez avea obligatia pozitiva de a lua masuri adecvate pentru protectia drepturilor si libertatilor persoanelor, in speta a victimei, prin furnizarea informatiilor solicitate, argumentand necesitatea existentei unui echilibru adecvat intre protectia diferitelor valori (in speta protejarea dreptului la viata privata si confidentialitatea comunicarilor), legiuitorul avand misiunea de a adopta masuri corespunzatoare pentru garantarea acestora si constatand incalcarea articolului 8 din Conventie i-a acordat acestuia 3000€ cu titlu de despagubiri morale.

O modalitate de protectie a copiilor impotriva pedofoliei o reprezinta cenzura accesului la anumite site-uri de catre Internet Service Provideri, ca urmare a unei solicitari venite din partea organelor penale. Un exemplu in acest sens este afacerea CompuServe, efectuata in cadrul unei ofensive impotriva pedofiliei pe Internet. Cu acel prilej, compania CompuServe din S.U.A. si filiala sa germana au blocat accesul a peste 4,2 milioane de clienti la grupurile de discutii de pe Internet. Eficienta acestei masuri este insa relativa, deoarece cei ce navigheaza in cautarea unor astfel de informatii nocive vor gasi alte cai pentru a ajunge la acestea. De asemenea, exista si tari in care relatiile sexuale cu adolescenti reprezinta o componenta a civilizatiei locale, cu influente religioase, un exemplu in acest sens fiind anumite versete din carti ale Talmudului evreiesc, motiv pentru care este dificil de gasit solutii rationale de cenzura a continuturilor electronice, avand la baza un cadru de valori comune.  [7]

O alta solutie ar putea-o reprezenta Legea securitatii informationale, al carei proiect prevede ca paginile web, care contin informatii periculoase pentru societate, sa fie blocate, consecinta a faptului ca minorii devin tot mai des victime a hartuirii in mediul online, politia nedispunand de suficiente instrumente pentru a-i depista pe faptasi. Un exemplu in acest sens il reprezinta dosarul pedofilului din Mangalia arestat recent de Tribunalul Prahova sub acuzatiile de pornografie infantila si santaj, peste 1000 de fetite, cele mai mici chiar si de 3-4 ani, fiind victimele acestui barbat, care si-a creat un cont fals pe un site de socializare in care se recomanda drept un baietel de zece ani, si care dupa ce le castiga increderea fetitelor si obtinea imagini compromitatoare cu acestea, le santaja.

De asemenea, 8 Februarie a fost instituita „Ziua Sigurantei pe Internet”, zi marcata in 65 de tari si eveniment prin care Comisia Europeana isi propune sa ii faca pe copii si adolescenti, dar si pe parintii acestora sa constientizeze consecintele actiunilor din mediul virtual si impactul acestora in viata reala, in vederea informarii asupra modalitatilor de utilizare sigure a Internetului.

Pe aceeasi tema a protejarii minorilor in mediul online, a 28-a sesiune a Consiliul pentru drepturile omului din 28 martie 2015 a avut ca tema crearea unui mediu digital sigur pentru copii, iar un grup de lucru pentru protectia acestora in mediul online a fost creat in cadrul ITU ( agentia Natiunilor Unite pentru informatie si comunicarea tehnologiilor).

Lupta impotriva pedofiliei se duce si cu ajutorul gigantilor din mediul online (Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo si Twitter) care alaturi de organizatia Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) au implementat un sistem care detecteaza si blocheaza imagini cu copii in ipostaze indecente, sistem prin care se estimeaza ca pot fi eliminate zilnic 500 de pagini web care contin imagini cu copii abuzati sexual.

O alta idee de protectie vine din partea Poloniei, care a aprobat prin camera inferioara a parlamentului de la Varsovia, un proiect de lege ce prevede crearea unui registru al infractorilor sexuali, printre care si pedofili, accesibil populatiei, Ministerul Justitiei urmand a tine si un alt registru, mai amplu, cu informatii detaliate, la care vor avea insa acces doar politia, justitia si reprezentantii administratiei publice.

In Statele Unite ale Americii, legea „Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act” adoptata in anul 2009 considera „orientarea sexuala” ca fiind o clasa protejata, acordandu-i-se un statul protejat pedofiliei. In iulie 2010, „Harvard health Publications”, publicatie a Scolii de Medicina Harvard scria ca „pedofilia este o orientare sexuala si e putin probabil ca ea sa se schimbe. Tratamentul are ca scop sa-i permita unui pedofil sa nu dea curs pornirilor sale sexuale. ” Mergand pe aceeasi linie, Casa Alba a salutat un proiect de lege prin care se propune o noua definitie a pedofiliei in „Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders”, spunand: „La baza, nu este vorba doar despre legile noastre; este vorba despre cine suntem noi, ca popor. Daca ne apreciem unul pe altul, daca imbratisam diferentele noastre, mai degraba decat sa permitem ca ele sa devina o sursa de animozitate”.

In Romania pedeapsa pentru pedofilie este de la 2 la 7 ani (daca victima nu a implinit inca 13 ani) si, respectiv, de la 1 la 5 ani (daca victima are intre 13 si 15 ani – art.220, NCP), acestea putand fi reduse cu o treime, prin recunoasterea vinovatiei (art.374, NCPP). In plus, pedeapsa din rezultanta cel condamnat are posibilitatea de a executa doar doua treimi, termen dupa care poate cere liberarea conditionata (art.100 NCP), care este, de obicei, obtinuta. Pedepsele sunt astfel total disproportionate cu impactul psihologic pe care-l are o astfel de fapta asupra mentalului unui copil, iar aparenta directie in care ne indreptam la nivel global, pare sa tinda spre acceptarea acesteia alaturi de homosexualitate, ca un fenomen daca nu firesc, cel putin acceptat.

„Sanatatea mintala a unui copil este la fel de importanta ca cea fizica si merita sa i se acorde acelasi suport” (Kate Middleton).

 

Laura Dorneanu:

  1. INTRODUCRE

Tratarea copiilor drept obiecte sexuale a existat de-a lungul veacurilor, intocmai ca literatura erotica. Cu toate acestea, pornografia, in sensul modern a capatat contur odata cu inventarea camerei in secolul al XIX-lea. Pornografia infantila, mai ales cea de pe internet este, este diferita fata de majoritatea infractiunilor cu care se confrunta organele de politie intrucat cetatenii pot avea acces la materiale pornografice cu minori care au fost produse  sau distribuite in alt oras sau in alta regiune a tarii. In paralel, acestia pot realiza astfel de materiale pe care sa le distribuie la sute de kilometri departare. Prin urmare, cele mai multe dintre investigatii cu privire la pornografia infantila pe internet presupun de cele mai multe ori o cooperare birourile regionale ale Directiei de Investigare a Infractiunilor de Criminalitate Organizata si Terorism.

 

  1. PORNOGRAFIA INFANTILA – CONSIDERATII GENERALE

Pornografia prin intermediul internetului este accesibila in diferite formate. Acestea variaza de la imagini si filme scurte, fisiere de sunet si pana la povesti. Cele mai multe dintre acest tip de continut pornografic este disponibil prin intermediul paginilor de tip World Wide Web („www”). Internetul faciliteaza, de asemenea, si intretinerea discutiilor cu tenta sexuala, vizualizarea in direct a astfel de acte sau organizezarea activitati sexuale de la calculator. Aceste site-uri WWW si grupuri de stiri sunt accesibile prin intermediul internetului de catre orice utilizator on-line. O alta posibilitatea este accesarea de catre utilizatorii de internet a retelelor de tip Usenet. In timp ce grupurile de discutii Usenet sunt libere de acces, cele mai multe site-uri  de tip WWW cu continut pornografic necesita dovada varstei si a platii prin card de credit a unei sume de bani pentru a avea acces la materialele lor.

Dar, in timp ce pornografia se poate prevala de libertatea de exprimare de vorbire si legi mai putin severe, masurile trebuie luata in ceea ce priveste pornografia infantila, cu atat mai mult cu cat se aduce un prejudiciu integritatii fizice si morale unor copii, afectandu-le intreaga dezvoltare.

  1. CADRUL LEGAL
  • La nivelul Uniunii Europene

Uniunea Europeana a adoptat un act legislativ care vizeaza combaterea infractiunilor sexuale comise asupra copiilor. Directiva 2011/93/UE a Parlamentului European si a Consiliului din 13 decembrie 2011 privind combaterea abuzului sexual asupra copiilor, a exploatarii sexuale a copiilor si a pornografiei infantile si de inlocuire a Deciziei-cadru 2004/68/JAI a Consiliului inglobeaza aspecte care merg de la pedepse si prevenire pana la sprijinul acordat victimelor. Aceasta prevede, de asemenea, dispozitii specifice referitoare la pornografia infantila pe internet si turismul sexual.

Directiva armonizeaza la nivelul intregii Uniuni Europene (UE) definirea infractiunilor penale in ceea ce priveste abuzurile sexuale comise asupra copiilor, exploatarea sexuala a copiilor si pornografia infantila. Aceasta stabileste, de asemenea, sanctiuni minime. Noile norme includ si dispozitii care vizeaza combaterea pornografiei infantile online si a turismului sexual. In plus, acestea vizeaza sa priveze pedofilii deja condamnati de posibilitatea exercitarii unor activitati profesionale care implica contacte regulate cu copii.

In ceea ce priveste, pornografia infantila pe internet, statele membre trebuie sa ia masuri pentru ca site-urile care contin pornografie infantila gazduite pe teritoriul lor sa fie prompt eliminate si sa depuna eforturi pentru a obtine eliminarea unor astfel de site-uri gazduite in afara teritoriului lor. De asemenea, cu respectarea anumitor conditii de transparenta si informare a utilizatorilor de internet, statele membre pot bloca accesul la astfel de site-uri pe teritoriul lor.

  • In legislatia interna

Ca urmare a transpunerii directivei 2011/93/UE a Parlamentului European si a Consiliului privind combaterea abuzului sexual asupra copiilor, a exploatarii sexuale a copiilor si a pornografiei infantile in dreptul intern, la nivelul Codului Penal si a Codului de Procedura Penala a operat o serie de modificari. Astfel, a fost introdusa o incriminare noua: folosirea  pornografiei infantile. Astfel, este sanctionata fapta persoanei care apeleaza, in cunostinta de cauza, la serviciile sexuale ale unui minor, care se prostitueaza.

Prevederi referitoare mijloacele de preintampinare a pornografiei infantila regasim si in Legea 161/2003 privind prevenirea si combaterea criminalitatii informatice. Potrivit art. 35 lit. i) din prezenta lege, „prin <<materiale pornografice cu minori>> se intelege orice material care prezinta un minor avand un comportament sexual explicit sau o persoana majora care este prezentata ca un minor avand un comportament sexual explicit ori imagini care, desi nu prezinta o persoana reala, simuleaza, in mod credibil, un minor avand un comportament sexual explicit”. De asemenea, conform articolului 51 „constituie infractiune si se pedepseste cu inchisoare de la 3 la 12 ani si interzicerea unor drepturi producerea in vederea raspandirii, oferirea sau punerea la dispozitie, raspandirea sau transmiterea, procurarea pentru sine sau pentru altul de materiale pornografice cu minori prin sisteme informatice, ori detinerea, fara drept, de materiale pornografice cu minori intr-un sistem informatic sau un mijloc de stocare a datelor informatice”, tentativa fiind la randul ei pedepsibila.

  1. STUDII DE CAZ
  • La nivelul Curtii Europene a Drepturilor Omului

Jurisprudenta CEDO asupra pornografiei infantile nu este una foarte stufoasa. Unele dintre cauze fac referire la drepturile producatorilor materialelor pornografice cu minori sau a celor care le vizioneaza si care au fost arestati. Aceste cauze privesc in primul rand incalcari de natura procedurala, aplicabile in orice caz penal. In cauza Perrin c. Regatului Unit (dec.), Curtea nu a constatat o incalcare hotararea instantei nationale de a condamna o persoana care furnizase imagini pornografice pe Internet fara a restrictiona accesul in functie de varsta. Cu alte cuvinte, libertatea de exprimare pe internet poate fi limitata in mod legitim pentru a proteja copiii si s-ar parea ca statele au o marja relativ larga de apreciere in a face acest lucru.

Cauza K.U. c. Finlandei prezinta importanta in acest domeniu, desi nu se refera in mod explicit la pornografie infantila. Acest caz subliniaza opinia Curtii asupra modului in care trebuie echilibrata competitia dintre interesul copilului, respectiv obligatia de a-l proteja si dreptul la viata privata pe internet. In aceasta cauza Curtea a considerat ca intr-o situatie ce implica postarea informatiilor personale ale unui minor pe un site de intalniri matrimoniale, protejarea acestuia depaseste inmod evident politicile de confidentialitae ale celui care posteaza aceste informatii. Curtea s-a referit in mod special la „o potentiala amenintare pentru bunastarea fizica si psihica a reclamantului adusa de situatia incriminata si a vulnerabilitatii sale avand in vedere varsta sa frageda”. In plus, Curtea a statuat ca: „statele au obligatia pozitiva inerenta articolului 8 din Conventie de a incrimina infractiuni impotriva persoanei, inclusiv tentativele de infractiune”. Curtea reaminteste si ca abuzul sexual este, fara indoiala o infractiune de o gravitate deosebita, cu efecte pe termen lung asupra victimelor sale. Copiii si alte persoane vulnerabile au dreptul la o protectie de stat, sub forma unei descurajari efectiva.

  • La nivelul instantelor nationale

Prin sentinta Curtii de Apel Bucuresti din anul 2015, inculpatul M.C. a fost condamnat la mai multe pedepse pentru pornografie infantila, trafic de minori si agresiune sexuala, toate in forma continuata, acestea nedepasind sase ani. Instanta a decis adaugarea unui spor de o treime din totalul celorlalte pedepse, respectiv 20 de ani si patru luni de inchisoare, astfel ca M.C. va executa 26 de ani si patru luni de inchisoare.

In acelasi dosar a fost condamnata si G.I., mama uneia dintre victimele lui M.C., la noua ani si patru luni de inchisoare. Femeia a fost gasita vinovata de complicitate la pornografie infantila in forma continuata.

Judecatorii au decis ca regizorul M.C. sa plateasca daune morale de cate 5.000 de euro pentru victimele sale. Procurorii Directiei de Investigare a Infractiunilor de Criminalitate Organizata si Terorism (DIICOT) au instrumentat acest dosar de pornografie infantila, trafic de minori, viol si agresiune sexuala in forma continuata. Din probele administrate, anchetatorii au ajuns la concluzia ca regizorul, intre 14 iunie 2010 si 1 iunie 2014, a primit si a adapostit, o minora de la varsta de sapte ani si trei pana la 11 ani si trei luni, cu scopul exploatarii sexuale.

„Inculpatul a obligat minora sa suporte si sa intretina acte sexuale orale si alte acte de natura sexuala, profitand de imposibilitatea victimei de a-si exprima vointa si prin oferirea de bani si alte foloase mamei acesteia. Exploatarea sexuala a minorei a vizat si producerea de catre inculpat de materiale pornografice cu victima”, potrivit DIICOT.

Potrivit Directiei de Investigare a Infractiunilor de Criminalitate Organizata si Terorism, M.C., in varsta de 54 de ani, a accesat materiale pornografice cu minori, folosind ID-ul „Mike”, apoi le-a pus la dispozitia utilizatorilor unei retele informatice, in locuinta acestuia fiind gasite 12 hard-disk-uri, patru memory-stick-uri si 1.331 de DVD-uri si CD-uri cu astfel de materiale.

Anchetatorii au mai stabilit ca, in perioada 6 iulie – 15 iulie 2014, M.C., prin intermediul aceleiasi aplicatii informatice, a pus la dispozitie celorlalti utilizatori, in spatiul public, 31.036 fisiere care contineau materiale pornografice cu minori.

  1. SOLUTII

Dupa cum s-a demonstrat, pornografia infantila pe internet prezinta unele provocari unice pentru agentiile de aplicare a legii. Cu toate acestea, in ciuda dificultatilor pe care le intampina controlul asupra a astfel de probleme, se contureaza o serie de masuri ce trebuie adoptate. Eliminarea completa a pornografiei infantile pe internet nu este posibila imediat, insa cu toate acestea o reducere a volumului de pornografie infantila pe internet este un obiectiv viabil si dezirabil la ora actuala. Pentru a face mai dificil si mai usor identificabil accesul la astfel de retele, dar si pentru a ii identifica mai usor pe autorii acestor infractiuni extreme de grave, masurile ce trebuie luate pot fi grupate in patru piloni, dupa cum urmeaza:

  1. Prevenire – Acest pilon ar include programe de educatie bazate pe dovezi furnizate in mod adecvat pentru copii, tineri, parinti, educatori, furnizorii de servicii, fiind informatii pentru publicul larg. Astfel de programe nu trebuie intreprinse doar o data, ci in mod repetat pentru a determina anumite automatisme care sa genereze noi comportamente, mai sigure.
  2. Tratament – Trebuie sa recunoastem faptul ca se cauzeaza un prejudiciu victimelor prin distribuirea excesiva a materialelor si ca este necesar sa le oferim sprijin atat lor, cat si familiilor. Provocarile cu care acestia se confrunta pe masura ce invata sa faca fata existentei unor imagini cu caracter sexual, dar si consecintele unei astfel de reintegrari trebuie sa fie sustinute de catre profesionisti instruiti in acest sens. In plus programele de reintegrare a detinutilor minori, stigmatizati de pe urma faptelor lor, au nevoie de sprijin si asistenta.
  • Punerea in aplicare a legilor – Oferirea sprijinului celor care aplica legea. Aceasta masura se dovedeste ca fiind una necesara, mai ales in situatia persoanelor din generatia pre-internet (judecatori, membri ai organelor de politie) pentru a intelege complexitatea acestor situatii. Scopul acestei masuri este acela de a pronuta hotararile in mod echitabil, dar si pentru a asigura resursele necesare investigarii acestori cazuri in mod adecvat.
  1. Reducerea Riscurilor – Acordarea ajutorului psihologic, social si emotional victimelor pornografiei infantile presupune si o latura creativa. Astfel, pentru a ii face pe copii sa inteleaga riscurile la care se supun accesand mediul online, este necesara o abordare diferentiata. De aceea, primii care pot adopta masuri sunt parintii si profesorii, educatia fiind un pilon principal in combaterea acestui fenomen al pornografiei infantile.
  1. CONCLUZII

Dat fiind accesul rapid si ieftin la orice fel de informatii, Internetul este principala modalitate de divertisment pentru mare masa. Exista o problema reala a pornografiei infantile pe internet si in alta parte, precum si cea a accesibilitatii materialelor explicite cu caracter pornografic, nepotrivite mai ales pentru copii.

In momentul de fata, ar fi nepotrivit sa incerce reglementarea pornografiei pe internet, astfel de interdictii fiind ineficiente data fiind diversitatea surselor pornografice. Combaterea pornografiei infantile, insa, trebuie sa ramana o prioritatea, astfel incat sa se previna abuzurile asupra copiilor. Pornografia infantila nu reprezinta doar un mijloc ce poate fi echivalat cu „fotografii de la fata locului” ci si un posibil instrument penal pentru abuz si exploatare a altor copii in viitor.

Dezvoltarea internetului depinde in primul rand de societatea in ansamblul ei care trebuie sa mentina echilibrul intre libertatea de exprimare si de interese de ordine si liniste publica, intre politicile menite sa favorizeze aparitia unor noi institutii si de necesitatea de a se asigura ca oportunitatile pe care le creeaza nu sunt folosite in mod abuziv de catre putini pe seama celor multi.

 

Amalia Podoleanu: 

Child pornography – from taboo to harsh reality

Child pornography over the Internet is a contemporary anomaly, despite the fact that sexual exploitation of children is not. Child sexual abuse is definitely not a new phenomenon, although we have to admit that it has received more attention in recent times, due to the fact that the Internet has become an easier way to acces illicit content. At this time, the proliferation of pornographic materials which involve children is favored by the rapid technological advancements of modern society.

Child pornography has been criticised by law for many years, but it is also an ethical problem which has gained more importance in modern society. Pornography that exploits children has existed since the invention of the camera, but there are also other authors that would say this problem has its origins in drawings. Thus, the problem of sexual abuse towards children was known even in ancient times, although it was considered taboo at that time. Today, child sexual abuse is no longer kept hidden due to exposure in mass-media and, therefore, child protection against this major problem has become a government policy.

  1. Terminology and legal protection

Before starting to outline the legal means to combat sexual abuse towards children, some explanations regarding the terms child and pornography, and also regarding the existing legal provisions are necessary in order to provide a general frame of reference.

  • Definitions of the terms

As has already been mentioned, child sexual abuse has existed for many years, but the definition of what a child is has changed throughout the ages. The laws currently in force protect minors, which means that from a legal point of view, a child is any person which is a minor. Article 374 of the Romanian Penal Code refers to child pornography as an illegal act with pornographic materials that include minors. The term minor has the acception given by the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime, which means that a minor is a person aged under 18 years, but the states can request a lower age limit which can not be under 16 years. The age of consent for sexual activity however is more likely to be 16 (and even 14 in some jurisdictions).

Refering to child pornography, there is no universally accepted definition in international law, but there exists a general consensus that pornography is a material. Pornographic materials in the on-line environment take the form of digital images. The content of these images can be various. Less dangerous pornographic materials include images of nude children, even with visible genitals, or children in provocative poses. But there can also be pornographic materials with very dangerous content, namely children having sexual relations with adults. The most alarming content takes the form of true sexual abuse, and in this case the material consists of images with children who are molested and tortured by adults which cause them physical injuries that can even lead to death.

The Romanian Penal Code claims that pornographic material with minors refers to every material which presents a child with a sexually explicit behaviour or which simulates a child with such a behaviour, even though it doesn’t portray a real person. This final stipulation was neccesary because pornographic material can also be created with fictitious images, using a computer. According to Romanian legislation, every person who produces, possesses with the purpose of distribution, acquires, stores, exposes, promotes, distributes or provides pornographic materials by any means is liable to inprisonment for a term of not more than 5 years and to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of one year.

Whenever documented child sexual abuse is accessed, intentionally or by accident, the minors depicted in said material become victims by means of the offender’s fantasy. Consequently, the entire notion of child pornography revolves around the concept of victimisation, because of the dual trauma that children face: not only do they become victims when the images are produced and stored, but also every time someone acquires or views them. Indeed, the intention of the perpetrator is of little importance. Even when the material is accessed inadvertently, the victims suffer the same effects as if they were accessed in sexual purposes.

  • European and Romanian legal support

Interest in child protection against pornography surged due to the Internet allowing it to spread all over the globe much more quickly. Even though it’s a decrepit phenomenon, the national laws have criticized it for the last few years. Most legal provisions regarding pornographic materials were adopted recently: Austria criminalized child pornography in 1994, Belgium – in 1995, Spain – in 1996. The possession of images of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor has been prohibited in Great Britain since 1988. Although we have to take into consideration the relatively slow rate of Internet growth in Romania, the country had a delayed reaction, incriminating this phenomenon for the first time in Law 678/2001.

In addition to the introduction of national laws, there are also international efforts aiming to aid in the fight against Internet child pornography. Recently, the European Union has demonstrated a growing interest in protecting minors against sexual abuse. Thus, the protection given by each state is doubled by the protection given by European provisions, such as Directive 92/2011/EU combating sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse and the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime.

International law plays a double role in protecting children against sexual abuse. Firstly, its role is a reactive one, involving the detection and arrest of offenders who have produced, distributed or possessed child pornography. The second role is a proactive one, involving the prevention of new crimes by reducing the availability of child pornography on the Internet. It is noticeable that these two objectives are correlative: the former directly influences the latter. When the wrongdoer is punished with imprisonment, he cannot commit the crime again, at least during the period when he is supervised. But prevention can act in two different ways: on the one hand, the offender’s ability to commit the crime again is taken away while, on the other hand, others will be hesitant to commit the same crime for which the wrongdoers have been punished.

Of the legal texts mentioned above, the Directive 92/2011/EU has a particular influence, due to the fact that it introduces a new term in paragraph 8, pornographic performance. By pornographic performance, the Directive means such acts which consist of an organized live exhibition, aimed at an audience.

Grooming, a special form of on-line harassment of minors is another common atrocity encountered in cyberspace. Child grooming is defined as the act of establishing an emotional connection with a child in order to lower his inhibitions and facilitate sexual abuse. Regarding this, the Directive 92/2011/EU claims that the solicitation of children for sexual purposes is a threat with specific characteristics in the context of the Internet, as the latter provides unprecedented anonymity to users because they are able to conceal their real identity and personal characteristics, such as their age. Member States should ensure that they prosecute the perpetrators of such offences on the Internet, or outside the context of the Internet.

  1. Child pornography via the Internet

The Internet and other digital technologies have provided new and very efficient means by which child pornography can be produced, distributed and accessed.

  • The role of the Internet in the proliferation of pornography

What is specific in Internet pornography is the fact that the victims are not directly connected to the consumers of pornographic materials involving minors. This specific characteristic highlights an important difference between pornography and the other forms of sexual assault. The minors are forced to perform obscene acts, then the perpetrators store and distribute the materials. Images and videos containing children with sexually explicit conduct can be uploaded onto the Internet from any location, or there can be an exchange of illicit information between individuals via e-mail or social networks.

The cyberspace contributes to the dissemination of pornographic materials by allowing for an increase in the quantity of such materials and by offering the possibility of accessing them in an effortless way. Consumers of child pornography can obtain inappropriate images and videos of minors cheaply at any time or place. Moreover, the Internet offers offenders the possibility to conceal their identity, a feature which has led to a massive increase in the number of child pornography consumers. At the same time, the anonymity of the perpetrators gives them the opportunity to create fictitious profiles on the on-line environment and pretend to be children in order to interact with their victims more easily.

Another difficulty society faces is the fact that pornography can cross the borders of many countries. More precisely, pornographic material can be recorded in one country, then it can be stored on a server from another country and, eventually, can be procured by a person who lives in yet another country. For all that, pornography is a phenomenon which raises many issues when it comes to punishing the wrongdoer, because it involves the cooperation between multiple different law enforcement agencies. An example given in legal doctrine is the situation when an Internet child exploitation unit from United States discovers child pornography on a server from Russia. It can block the access to that server by U.S residents, but it must rely on Russian colleagues to ensure that the offending material is taken down and that the appropriate legal actions are taken against the Russian citizens involved.

  • The effects of Internet child pornography on victims

The vast majority of children who appear in child pornography have not been abducted or physically forced to participate. This happens by reason of children’s vulnerability to become victims. Children are a category of high vulnerability due to their psycho-behavioral and age particularities: they are completely lacking physical and psychological possibilities of defense, they have a reduced capacity of understanding the effects or the consequences of their actions and also they cannot discern between good and bad intentions of others. Another agent which makes children a more vulnerable category of victims is their sincerity and their purity of feelings.

As a result of these characteristics, minors can be easily engaged in actions that turn them into victims. They usually cannot resist the rewards offered to them by adults, which is why they are so easy to manipulate, lie to and determine to commit acts with negative effects. Regarding this, Joan Sweeney wrote an article in Dallas Time Herald in May 13, 1984 talking about offenders who abuse children. The author claims that the wrongdoers pick out children who are unlikely to refuse them. Usually, the offenders are not violent, but they try to seduce the victims, and, if the child opposes, then the pedophile will quit.

It is obvious that children who are victims of Internet pornography undergo a terrible trauma. Many psychological studies classify sexual abuse as a traumatic event or an extremely traumatic event.  It is hard to identify the exact moment when the ordeal ceases. From an objective perspective, the suffering ends when the sexual abuse ends. But from a subjective perspective, the trauma persists even after the criminal activity is done, because in this case time does not heal all wounds, particularly psychological ones. Recovery from trauma is even more difficult as the child does not have a high level of control over himself/herself. The consequences of this type of suffering can be various, as they can influence the emotional life of a child, his/her self-esteem and their vision of the future.

Even though each child reacts differently depending on the frequency, on the acts involved, and on the child’s personality, every child faces severe negative effects after being victims of Internet pornography. The common consequences of this type of abuse are mostly psychological distress, various anxieties, depression, hopelessness, sadness, anger, incompetence etc. The child can become isolated and can turn into an aggressive person. Many studies claims that, generally, offenders were also the victims of a sexual abuse during their childhood.

  • Child protection against pornography

In March 2010, the European Commission proposed a new Directive which would help in the fight against Internet pornography. The initial legal text requested that all Member States introduce measures to block illegal online content, without mentioning the specific technologies that were to be used. The text of the proposed Directive encouraged Member States to determine Internet providers to implement blocking measures outside of a legal framework. This has led to a series of negotiations between the European institutions concerning establishing a convenient legal text. The provisionally adopted text removes the obligation on Member States to introduce blocking, and as a result, the countries have the option of introducing them in order to enforce the European Convention on Human Rights and European Charter of Fundamental Rights. Due to the changes in the initial legal text, the final obligations on Member States to take real measures in relation to Internet pornography have become very weak.

Children’s rights form an integral part of the human rights that the European Union is bound to respect under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols. Besides this, the EU explicitly recognized children’s rights in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights. As a consequence, the European Commission proposes a strategy to effectively promote and safeguard the rights of the child in the European Union’s internal and external policies and to support Member States’ efforts in this field. The European strategy is based on taking advantage of existing policies and instruments, ensuring efficient coordination and consultation mechanisms, reinforcing competence and expertise on the rights of the child, promoting the rights of the child in the field of external relations, etc.

Taking into account all the objectives mentioned above, the strategy developed in Towards a Strategy on the Rights of the Child envisages a number of measures such as:

  • setting up one single six-digit telephone number (beginning with 116) within the EU for child helplines
  • support for the banking sector and credit card companies in combating the use of credit cards when purchasing sexual images of children on the Internet
  • setting up a European Forum for the Rights of the Child and an online discussion platform
  • involving children in the decision-making process
  1. Final thoughts

The aim of this essay is a purely informative one, meaning to highlight the evolution of child pornography from an unmentionable topic to one that is widely publicized and reprimanded. Hence, in the end of this article I wish to reiterate the fact that neither child sexual abuse, nor child pornography have become more widespread throughout the ages. In and of itself, the passing of time has not influenced the frequency and the severity of these crimes, given that so many odious acts have been targeting children even before the era of the Internet. Curiously, although people have been expressing their erotic fantasies – including those revolving around youngsters, from toddlers to adolescents – ever since they learned how to draw and write, documented child sexual abuse has been incriminated only very recently, that is starting with the 1970s.

Truly, the onset of the Internet has strongly augmented the spreading of pornographic materials, and this has led to the existence of an alarming quantity of indecent content regarding children. This has attracted the attention of authorities which have begun the process of criminalizing these acts, by means of national laws. However, I believe that the recent massive dissemination of child pornography has not been the sole reason of this legal campaign. What has also changed is people’s viewpoint on the cruelty of child sexual abuse, which has helped transition from an era where children were regarded as slaves that could be freely exploited to one which is strongly governed by the notions of human rights and, particularly, children’s rights.

 

Oana Dochia:

It is more important that innocence be protected than it is that guilt be punished, for guilt and crimes are so frequent in this world that they cannot all be punished.”

These are the words of the second U.S. President, John Adams, who was, amongst other things, an American lawyer. The belief in one’s innocence, in one’s purity and the attempt of preserving it for as long as it is possible are a way of showing care to the future of one’s country and consideration twards the better growth of the next generations of that country.

When reffering to the generations yet to come, this topic is automatically linked to the level of evolution mankind has reached. Besides how much did technology improve the quality of life, there are certain risks that came along to which we did not sign up for, but might as well had, because we are forced to fight it, daily, either way. The Internet is the most cherished and needed, but, at the same time, the most feared ‘child’ evolution has given birth to. The level of privacy that online environment provides gives both safety and liberty to the Internet user to explore and sometimes break the boundaries of his own imagination, those righteous cuffs society tries to put on people’s minds.

The Internet has increased the range, volume and accessibility of sexually abusive imagery, including child pornography.

It provides the social, individual and technological circumstances in which an interest in child pornography flourishes:

  1. Social-The Internet has been used to create a self-justifying online community for child pornography users.
  2. Individual-Using the Internet, individuals can access material and communicate with others through a computer terminal providing an apparently private sphere for the expression of sexual fantasy.
  3. Technological-Digital technology and the Internet make it possible for child pornography consumers to become obsessive collectors so that the collection of images becomes an end in itself. The Internet also provides a ready means to access material supporting increasingly extreme sexual fantasies. It can then be used to act out those fantasies with children in online interactions or in physical meetings arranged .

Online child pornography has become a real danger due to the more and more improved media network and its true threat dwells in the mind itself, the mind of every author of such crimes: actus reus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea, which means that the act is not culpable unless the mind is guilty.

Tracing the mind’s culpability is very hard for the exact same reason Internet was created, succour users’ desire to get in touch with their needs. Therefore, it is every state’s duty to oversee the extent of how people tend to manifest those desires, especially when it involves children and punish it, to set an example.

The main protection against this behavior is ensured by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which sets out a basic principle: States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child.” The second thesis, regarding the development of the child, is bound up with the protection against online pornography which compels every state part of the Convention. However, it is not enough to assert such obligations, infallible means and laws being required for this protection to succed.

Over the years, typologies and patterns of this kind of offenders, online predators, were made in order to envision potential paedophiles on social networks.

Taking steps to cover up traces of prohibited content is one facet of defendant behavior that courts have found relevant to proving intent. For example, in United States v. Tucker, the defendant argued that he did not “knowingly” possess child pornography because images were stored automatically in his computer’s cache and he deleted them when he discovered that they were stored there. But the court concluded that Tucker’s actions, not any independent function of his computer, had caused the images to be stored:” Tucker volitionally reached out for them. This is not a case of ignorance, mistake or accident. . . . The fact that Tucker repeatedly deleted his cache files after his multiple visits to sites offering child pornography evidences his scienter; Tucker would not know to delete the files from his computer if he did not know that they were on his computer drive.”

As an alternative to evidence of affirmative acts, access, or deletion, courts have found it reasonable for juries to infer knowledge from indications of repeat behavior by the defendant. In United States v. Fabiano, the Tenth Circuit considered evidence that John Fabiano had visited a preteen chat room over a period of about five months before receiving the images for which he was charged. Evidence of repeated interest in child pornography — here, ongoing visits to chat rooms in which child pornography was regularly offered for trade — was held sufficient to support a finding of knowing receipt or possession.

The European Court of Human Rights is also protecting children in the online environment, stating that child pornography of this sort is a form of sexual abuse, unquestionably an abhorrent type of wrongdoing, with debilitating effects on its victims. Children (…) are entitled to State protection, in the form of effective deterrence, from such grave types of interference with essential aspects of their private lives.

This phenomenon is increasingly worrying in Europe, for which reason the EU legislation is continuously improving and amending, the most recent being the Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, which replaces the Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA.  The purpose of this Directive is to harmonise around twenty relevant criminal offences, at the same time setting high level of penalties. The new rules (…) include provisions to fight against online child pornography (…). They also aim to prevent convicted paedophiles moving to another EU member state from exercising professional activities involving regular contacts with children. Finally, the directive introduces measures to protect the child victim during investigations and legal proceedings. Thus, before the Directive took effect, possessing child pornography was recomended to be punished with at least one year imprisonment, whilst production of such materials being reckoned at least three years of imprisonment.

As it seems, awareness took place regarding online activities which could damage a child’s welfare, as the years pass by and they start spending more and more time socializing online than in real groups, in real life. Precisely this urge to be accepted regardless of the flaws, this need of affection due to a lack of confidence or a disfunctional family environment, determines children to trust someone who appears to be willing to listen, to nurture and caress, leading, by all means, to wanting a closer, more stable and permanent relation than the ones that child already has.

In other words, children are described, and by good reason, as des cibles fragile, meaning brittle targets, thereby yielding in front of a chameleon paedophile protected by a PC monitor. That is why states’ authorities must be at all time well informed and trained, firstly, to prevent such tragedies, rather than punish the culprits when there is no innocence left to protect.

Withal, there is a provision under article 9, first paragraph, in the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime, termed as Offences related to child pornography , which gives out  the conduct that has been established as threatening, ergo, punishable. It states the following:

“Each Party shall adopt such legislative and other measures as may be necessary to establish as criminal offences under its domestic law, when committed intentionally and without right, the following conduct:

  1. producing child pornography for the purpose of its distribution through a computer system;
  2. offering or making available child pornography through a computer system;
  3. distributing or transmitting child pornography through a computer system;
  4. procuring child pornography through a computer system for oneself or for another person;
  5. possessing child pornography in a computer system or on a computer-data storage medium. “

So, not only that child pornography is seen as a sexual abuse, it is considered a cybercrime because of the extent and the frequency of this practice in the modern society. The means online predators came to use as to protect themselves are increasingly perfectioned as we speak.

Romania took over the content of article 9 of the Convention and implemented it in the Law No.161/2003, more precise, in the provisions of article 51.

Furthermore, there are other laws besides 161/2003 having the purpose of protecting children against online pornography: Law No. 678/2001which prevents and fights human trafficking and Law No.196/2003 which prevents and fights pornography.

This clearly shows how important and, at the same time, how hard it became to fight child pornography all around the world. Permanent colaboration between states’ authorities and working together are necessary for the sole purpose of not allowing innocence to be perverted and childhood memories ruined. For this means that, not only it will save today’s victims or potential victims, but also tomorrow’s and so on, until we would have eradicated it once and for all.