Paedophiles are more sick and vile than ever

CASES of child pornography are getting sicker and more vile, according to Joanne Barrett, spokesperson for advocacy group Women and Men Against Child Abuse.

Barrett said what was worse in these cases was that paedophiles seemed to be targeting babies.

“We are not sure if it has always been there, or if social media has just put it more out there, or there are just more sick people out there than before.”

She said the organisation has been working with the courts and she said they were grateful that cases seemed to be taken more seriously.

“It’s quite interesting listening to the psychologists who testify and it seems that they (paedophiles) are born with it – it has been proven that they cannot be rehabilitated. There is no programme in South African that can help them.

“It’s like they were born with a part of their brain missing and they do not feel any remorse.”

Barrett said most of the activity occurred on the dark web, but said social media made it easier for paedophiles to find images.

“For every one paedophile you find there are like 3 000 more linked to him and they all share images and they all have their sick fetishes… people who post pictures of their babies running around naked out of the bath, they love that, it is a free market for them.”

In the most recent case, Tyron James pleaded guilty in court after being found with almost 60 000 images and 240 videos of child pornography on his home computer, hard drives and CDs.

The images were of children between 2 and 18 years, and in his plea agreement James said he never manufactured or distributed the material and it was for his own personal use.

According to Child Line sometimes adults and older children with a sexual interest in children, “intentionally expose children to adult and/or child pornography in order to stimulate the child’s interest in sexual activity”.

“Sometimes these people appear totally safe and may also develop relationships with a parent in order to obtain access to a child.”