No free lunch with child porn

Police who work in the field of monitoring child pornography have different problems. In fact, says one therapist, anyone who watches child porn for many hours a day is "at risk"' of disturbing psychological problems.

   "Police have in-house psychologists on hand to deal with the problem, but seeking help is seen in the force as 'sooking up' and not respected by fellow officers."

He says that police becoming aroused while watching child porn mages as part of their work is not indicative of their being sexually attracted to children. More likely it triggers erotic memories of similar and loving adult circumstances when they became aroused.

We can't always choose what arouses us (hence the legal ruling that males can be raped despite having an erection). This arousal, according to Gaunt, could be distressing to police officers because they don't understand what's going on. They may worry that they are becoming pedophiles.

Or, other psychological problems could emerge. Like any population, some police are victims of child sexual abuse themselves and images could trigger their own abuse.

   "Psychologically speaking there is no such thing as a free lunch. Child pornography is toxic, and I don't believe you can look at it without some effect - somehow, somewhere, sometime. There has to be a     'payback'. Even if it's five years down the track when your own children are 10 minutes late home and you panic".

The problem is further compounded by the fact that police psychologists available to them are usually the same ones who give their yearly assessment about performance suitability for work. They could find themselves without a job or transferred because they were aware enough to recognise what was happening and responsible enough to talk to a professional.

Gaunt says, for a start, police should be given access to external therapists to encourage them to seek help.

The possibility of arousal should also be part of their training. Just as pornography on the internet should be a basic part of sex education in schools.

While new technology is breeding a new subset of child sex offenders and police are receiving inadequate assistance in their efforts to prevent the crime, we can only wonder why government bodies take so long for the penny to drop.

While governments drag their feet in requiring compulsory, proper, relevant and comprehensive sex education in schools - covering more than reproduction and STDs - organisations like Bravehearts and NetAlert are offering this type of education to schools. The Bravehearts program has a nine-month waiting list.

Education, for police, our children and ourselves, is the only effective tool we have to counter internet porn and head-off spot fires that could burn us in ways we can hardly bear to imagine.