E/CN.15/2014/CRP.1 material and cyber-enticement.111 Such social reinforcement of child abuse and exploitation can be particularly strong due to its immediate and interactive nature.112 Massive quantities of readily available child sexual abuse material online may create the false impression of social acceptability, which in turn diminishes offenders’ or potential offenders’ inhibitions. 113 Online communities also regularly provide fora for sharing strategies to gain access to victims and to evade law enforcement.114 Information and communication technologies as a tool for detection While the use of ICT in crimes against children poses many challenges, including in respect of detection and perpetrator identification, ICT use by offenders can also generate a number of investigative and evidential leads for the criminal justice system. The nature of internet connectivity and electronic devices means that evidence of the actions of individuals – in the form of audio and written messages, electronic connections, photographs and videos – can be transmitted through networks and platforms owned and operated by multiple individuals. This provides a potentially far greater range of investigative starting points than in ‘offline’ cases of abuse that may involve only a single victim and perpetrator, and perhaps take place only in one physical location. Skilled digital investigators are increasingly able to acquire electronic evidence of abuse facilitated by ICT, even when perpetrators take careful steps to avoid leaving, or to delete, digital traces. In the same way as with computers, mobile device forensics can often be used to retrieve images and messages that have been deleted from a mobile phone or other devices. Depending upon data retention times, Internet Protocol (IP) connection logs can provide a complete trace of all times, sources and destinations of Internet connections. In addition, abuse committed using ICT can be more likely than abuse committed offline to come to the attention of the police in the first place. Some offenders prolifically produce and publicly distribute abuse material. Parents and other caregivers might also discover abuse through digital footprints or images. Some victims themselves may even be more willing to come forward when they know that digital evidence will corroborate their claims. Online victim reporting portals that offer a non-threatening way to report abuse can also be important in contributing to victim reporting. When such material is encountered or reported, investigators can proactively follow leads to discover abuse, identify victims and provide victim support and assistance. Law enforcement agencies may be more willing to pursue cases if clear digital evidence of the crime confirms its severity and increases the likelihood of a successful prosecution, Law enforcement are also increasingly successful in using information gleaned from child sexual abuse material and other digital evidence to identify, rescue, and protect child victims who may remain at risk of ongoing sexual abuse. New Forms of Child Abuse and Exploitation Made-to-order child sexual abuse material ICTs have enabled “made-to-order” content a profitable option for offenders. This form of child exploitation is commonly linked to organized criminal groups and represents a significant and emerging threat.115 Sometimes also referred to as on-demand, pay-per-view or bespoke material, perpetrators take orders for and can produce videos or images that conform to a customers’ specificities regarding age, race, sex, and appearance of the victim. Customers may also specify customized physical settings, plot elements or sexual acts. Some require that the child pay homage to them, for example by saying or displaying a certain name during the course of the abuse. __________________ 111 112 113 114 115 Choo, K. R., 2009. P. 11. Bromberg, H. Identity, Belonging and Consciousness in Virtual Worlds. In R. Shields(ed.), 1996. Cultures of the Internet: Virtual Spaces, Real Histories, Living Bodies. See Wyre, R. Pornography and Sexual Violence: Working with Sex Offenders., In Catherine Itzen (ed.), 1992. Pornography; Women, Violence and Civil Liberties.. Pp.237-247. Choo, K. R., 2009. P. 11. See e.g. Kendall, V., Funk, M., 2012. Child Exploitation and Trafficking. P. 21; Palmer, T., Stacey, L., 2004, Just One Click: Sexual Abuse Of Children And Young People Through The Internet And Mobile Phone Technology; see also CEOP 2009; Maley, P., 2012. Children abused 'to order' on Skype. The Australian, May 17 2012. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/children-abused-to-order-on-skype/story-e6frg6nf-1226358212495# V.14-03040 21