Is it OK to use pictures/videos of children online to satisfy myself?
- Pictures and videos of children engaging in sexual situations ('child pornography') are illegal.
- Viewing, saving, or sharing such images or videos is a criminal offense.
Sexual abuse material featuring children ('child pornography') involves pictures and video showing children involved in sexual activities, sexualized posing, or where the focus is on the child’s genitals. The children and young people in these videos are the victims of sex crimes. This is the case when pictures are taken or video is recorded. It’s also the case when the pictures and/or videos are shown on the internet.
Looking at such pictures and videos creates more demand. And that can lead to new assaults.
It’s important that you avoid these kinds of pictures and videos.
By doing so, you can ensure that:
- You are acting safely toward others.
- You are avoiding the commission of a crime.
- You aren’t contributing to children again being abused by looking at the pictures or watching the videos.
People with sexual thoughts about children say that you can quickly become addicted to looking at pictures and videos of children that turn you on. Maybe you have stumbled on a picture of a child you find exciting? Maybe you’ve searched for it?
Using 'innocent' pictures of children for masturbation can quickly lead to looking for more pictures. And you can develop a need to look at the pictures over and over again. That can lead you into a world of pictures and videos of children being sexually abused.
When you use everyday images of children to satisfy yourself, you are sexually abusing and exploiting the child. After all, it’s a real child in the picture, and that child has not allowed you to use the material for sexual purposes.
You can protect yourself by not mixing pictures and videos of children with your sexual thoughts. If you find it very difficult not to, you can read here about how to get help.