Cybersex, Virtual Reality (VR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Sex Robots, Sex Dolls
Psychological perspectives of virtual child sexual abuse material.
Open Access: No.
Abstract
Virtual child sexual abuse material (VCSAM) has become a growing global concern amongst policy and practice professionals. This theoretical paper aimed to provide a discussion on the landscape for the types of virtual material and apply psychological perspectives to further our limited understanding of these offenders. When considering the landscape, the types of morphing were explored along with the issues that have resulted due to the advances in 3D software and hardware rendering, including difficulties distinguishing VCSAM from child sexual abuse material involving real children. Throughout the paper, logic is drawn from the strong theoretical basis of child sexual abuse material offenders, allowing for the application of theoretical perspectives, such as schemas, cognitive distortions, the person-situation interaction, and rational choice theory. This paper offers some preliminary foundations and insights in an attempt to better understand VCSAM offenders, while providing avenues for further research. Overall, this paper offers a valuable and timely resource for psychology and law enforcement disciplines, along with policy makers, at an international level.
Relevance
“The consumption of VCSAM [virtual child sexual abuse material] does not prevent pedophilic individuals from future offending and can instead act as a progressive addiction.” Furthermore, virtual or computer-generated child sexual abuse allows for “unlimited creativity in how child characters are abused” – “unimaginable forms of bestiality and penetrative activity” – compared to real child abuse. “It is not, therefore, illogical to suggest that” people who move from viewing virtual child abuse material to abusing real children “may be more desensitized and follow different offending trajectories compared with those who” commenced their abuse with real children.
Citation
Christensen, L. S., Moritz, D., & Pearson, A. (2021). Psychological perspectives of virtual child sexual abuse material. Sexuality & Culture, 25(4), 1353–1365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-021-09820-1
