*Content warning- this content may be distressing*

Child sexual exploitation material, or child sexual abuse material, refers to sexually abusive images of children. It may include photographic or video evidence of the rape, sexual abuse and torture of children and infants.

Virtual or computer-generated child sexual exploitation material is produced without the use of living children, depicting fictional children. Under Australian law, this content constitutes illegal child sexual exploitation material. The Commonwealth Criminal Code prohibits the sale, production, possession and distribution of offensive and abusive material that depicts a person, or is a representation of a person, who is or appears to be under 18. This includes virtual or animated representations of children, as well as child sex dolls.

After almost half a million people have signed a petition to shut down Pornhub over cases of sex trafficking, rape and child sexual abuse, new reports of the porn site hosting videos of a toddler being abused have emerged.

Rose Kalemba, who had previously exposed Pornhub for hosting footage of her rape as a fourteen-year-old followed by a period of six months where she begged the site to remove the videos, has appealed to Pornhub again to remove videos documenting the abuse of her friend, who was a toddler at the time. 

We are writing to you in regards to the children’s film Show Dogs, due for release 5 July. Upon its release in the US, it attracted substantial criticism from parents and child advocates over concerns of “grooming” children for sexual abuse.

The film tells the story of a police dog going undercover at a dog show. There are reportedly several scenes in which the dog, Max, has to have his genitals inspected. When he is uncomfortable and wants to stop he is told to go to a ‘zen place’. When he submits and allows his genitals to be touched, he is rewarded by advancing to the next level of the show.

In response to the global backlash, the production company withdrew the film, promising to re-cut it to remove the scenes in question. The film has been re-released, however the scenes remain, with only the encouragement to ‘go to a zen place’ (essentially, to dissociate) being removed. The meaning remains intact, that unwanted sexual touching is to be endured and may be rewarded.

Despite the advancements made in the battle to bring child sexual abuse to the forefront of public discussion, it seems society still has a long way to go when it comes to reporting on child exploitation with dignity and respect.

Take a moment to think over a recent article you’ve read on child sexual abuse—and now ask yourself, how did they describe the crime? Did the article report on a toddler being raped by an adult, or was it inferred that the offender ‘had sex with’ the child? Was the young trafficking victim reported as a ‘child prostitute,’ or a victim? Did the TV program you watched the other night report that an underage boy was taken advantage of, or that he was really ‘in a relationship’ with his abuser?

Cafepress still selling vulgar, sexualised children's and baby clothes

We recently spoke out about online clothing retailer "Cafepress" advertising vulgar, sexualised clothing for babies and children on its website. Onesies that were made available online included "I Love sluts"..."blow job instructor" and "No gag reflex."