Investigators: Children pictured in pornographic images are continuously victimized
Once a sexually abusive picture of a child is taken and shared, the victimization of that child never stops and can haunt him or her for the rest of their lives, investigators say.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement supervisory special agent John Deaton, who heads ICE’s cyber investigations, said children in child pornography will have that image of them making rounds of the Internet for years and years. The victims are forced to live with the trauma of being exploited for others’ pleasure for the rest of their lives, he said.
In the wake of the investigation into former University of Michigan resident physician Stephen Jenson, who is charged with four counts of possessing child pornography, and Howard Weinblatt’s plea of no contest to watching a young girl change through a window at his own home, it’s important to keep the victims in mind, Deaton said.
“The children are just continuously victimized every time the video or picture is transmitted,” he said. “They’re victimized again and again. It’s a never ending victimization.”
Comprehensive AnnArbor.com coverage
- U.S. Department of Education 'looking into' six-month lapse in reporting child porn at University of Michigan
- Hospital accreditation agency investigating complaint about U-M Health System's 6-month delay in reporting child porn
- University of Michigan faculty to discuss lapse in reporting child porn
- Timeline in University of Michigan child porn case
- University of Michigan regent calls six-month lapse in reporting child porn 'extraordinarily disappointing'
- Counsel who reviewed initial report of resident possessing child porn no longer employed by U-M
- Internal review into U-M Hospital's handling of child porn case to be done in weeks
- U-M Health System CEO calls delay in reporting child porn 'painful moment in our history'
- University of Michigan officials didn't report child porn to police for 6 months
- University of Michigan officials weren't required by law to report child porn to state
The Ann Arbor community has been shocked recently by the criminal investigations into Jenson, who is accused of viewing the materials on a computer at the University of Michigan Health System, and Weinblatt, a pediatrician with a long history in Ann Arbor.
Jenson faces a preliminary examination on Feb. 16. The university and the U.S. Department of Education are both investigating a six-month delay between the initial report of child pornography being found on a thumb drive in a laptop at the hospital and the beginning of a police investigation. He was fired from the hospital in December.
The effects on the victims of child pornography can be long lasting and extremely traumatic, according to one study.
According to the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing’s study on child pornography, children who had been pictured in sexual images reported feelings of deep despair, worthlessness, and hopelessness in the years following an incident.
The study also noted those children had “a distorted model of sexuality” and found difficulty in establishing and keeping healthy relationships.
Those effects are one of Deaton’s driving motivations in pursuing child pornography investigations.
ICE has been involved in a number of child pornography arrests in the Ann Arbor area.
Deaton said it’s not unheard of for pediatricians to be accused of possessing child pornography. He said child pornography investigations encompass people from all walks of life, including some who have parents’ trust when they’re with their children.
“If it happens once, it happens more than it ever needs to happen,” Deaton said. “There are certain people we take our children to that we feel we can trust — doctors, police, teachers. … We don’t expect them to manipulate them, but yes it happens.”
Federal prosecutors have laid out how serious they believe child pornography offenses are, notably in one local case where the former owner of an Ann Arbor real estate company was sentenced to five years in prison.
Richard Fabian was convicted of having 1 million images of child pornography in his possession, along with a number of tapes and CDs. In a sentencing memorandum, Eaton Brown, an assistant United States attorney, wrote that possessing child pornography is not a victimless crime.
“While Fabian and others gratify themselves to these images of sexually abused children, the victims depicted in those pictures forever live with the knowledge that the crimes against them have been memorialized and passed on for others … to use for pleasure,” Brown wrote.
And, as Deaton notes, those images are usually on the Internet to stay once they’re shared.
“It’s out there somewhere,” he said.
“They (people involved in child porn) don’t just take it for themselves, they transmit it to other individuals that have interest in the same behaviors.”
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
FreedomSpeech
Tue, Feb 7, 2012 : 6:38 p.m.
Bravo Kyle! Let's shine a light on folks! We live in a world that has a huge problem with child predators and many of them are the elite. The local Pittsburgh radio host Mark Madden reported on Jerry Sandusky and the pedophilia last April and was pretty much laughed at and ridiculed... Fast forward a few months and the story breaks Nationally and low and behold Madden again is all but ignored when publicly proclaims that not only was Sandusky doing his evil against these kids practically in the open but his so called foundation is, in fact, a clearing house for the Elite to come in to rape kids! The judge that let Sandusky out of jail sits on the board of the foundation... Wonder why the accusations aren't being covered by the so called nightly news... Where's Nancy Grace? Speaking of Grace... I have to wonder why she doesn't report on the 1000's over 4000+ of kids who have gone MISSING from Florida's State Foster Care? The Top 3 in the Florida State Child Protective Service were found to be convicted pedophilia and the agents were rewarded based on how many kids they removed from homes and put in the system. Those are facts. The # 3 ranking official in France, Frédéric Mitterrand, bragged in his 2005 autobiography entitled "The Bad Life," Mr. Mitterand wrote: "I got into the habit of paying for boys… All these rituals of the market for youths, the slave market excite me enormously." He added: "One could judge this abominable spectacle from a moral standpoint but it pleases me beyond the reasonable." And finally: "The profusion of very attractive and immediately available young boys puts me in a state of desire that I no longer need to hinder nor hide… as I know that I will not be refused." Wonder where those kids go? Most likely they are murdered. Just search the term; "The Real Sicko Movie for a story on this by Adam Murdock, M.D. <a href="http://www.infowars.com/the-real-sicko-movie/" rel='nofollow'>http://www.infowars.com/the-real-sicko-movie/</a>
FreedomSpeech
Thu, Feb 9, 2012 : 2:12 p.m.
"Writing" even... :(
FreedomSpeech
Tue, Feb 7, 2012 : 6:38 p.m.
Continued: The facts are that Hollywood rallied behind Roman Polanski even though he admitted to raping and sodomising a young girl. <a href="http://www.infowars.com/the-real-sicko-movie/" rel='nofollow'>http://www.infowars.com/the-real-sicko-movie/</a> The rock band icon Pete Townsend was caught with a MASSIVE amount of child porn & gave the ridiculous excuse that he was righting a book. I guess when he sang in his song "Rough Boys" that he wanted to "bite & kiss" them he was just joking. Roger Goodell, NFL Commish will express shock and horror that a little known rapper named M.I.A. said the "S" word and flipped off the camera but he had no problem with hiring Townsend to perform during the Super Bowl 2 years ago. How about the private security firm DynCorp Child kidnapping Ring pimping kids to rapists! on our tax $$$ no less! You can read about that from the Houston Press's John Nova Lomax: <a href="http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2010/12/wikileaks_texas_company_helped.php" rel='nofollow'>http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2010/12/wikileaks_texas_company_helped.php</a> People the problem is huge and it's a lot bigger than a pedophile pediatrician from A2 or a pedophile Dr. at the U of M hospital! Wake Up!
James Socrates
Tue, Feb 7, 2012 : 2:44 a.m.
On a similar note what I think we also fail to remember a great deal of the time, is that while a free and open internet allows for greater access to information, greater opportunity for discourse etc. it sadly opens up a pandoras box of problems, of which child porn is only one. It creates a legal conundrum primarily because our laws are responsive not proactive in addressing these problems. Moreover, we simply do not have the resources or the ability to prevent this type of abuse from occurring nor do we have the legal framework to "crackdown" so to speak on these types of sexual crimes. Furthermore, the Internet is the ideal resource for 'non-predatory' sexual offenders because it allows them to pursue their fantasies while remaining prominent members in the community. Distance, ambiguity and lack of accountablity are the foundation of crimes perpetrated across the web. It sad, because it allows for far greater access to perpetuate abuse. What the article does not mention is the these types of criminals are predictable. I wonder even now if these two had any connection whether anonomously online or otherwise. There are more of the like in Ann Arbor, and quite frankly, I doubt these two are the worst offenders.
jns131
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 10:49 p.m.
The only way to keep child porn from becoming an issue to make sure again, parents are involved. I hate to say it but the only way children become a victim is because parents are unaware of what is going on around them. I always know what mine is into and what to make sure ours is not getting into. Time to become a parent and get involved in the world around your child.
jns131
Tue, Feb 7, 2012 : 6:09 p.m.
It takes a village to keep children safe. But only one to make the whole thing fall apart. So, to avoid this in the future? Lets watch out for the little person.
DBH
Tue, Feb 7, 2012 : 12:22 a.m.
No argument with your advice. Unfortunately, sometimes it is the parent who is the abuser. Sad, very sad.
agataida
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 10:24 p.m.
Dear Kyle, Lumping two local and sensational cases together is a clever way to market your column. Although there are similarities within the ACTUAL facts - both men are doctors and live in Ann Arbor - I am mystified by your report. Of course, as any writer knows, having more than one source to cite creates an air of increased credibility. In this case, just the mention of Dr. Weinblatt's name, (so fresh in the minds of your audience) heightened the emotional spin of the story. If that was your intent, kudos for a job well done. On the other hand, if your point was to objectively report about other related issues to the case; I then suggest you add an addendum. Somehow the subject of "alleged information" was omitted from your report. Why would that matter? Because a true journalist would not seduce readers with apathetic writing. Then again, why should it matter? At this point, any and all objective reporting is moot.
agataida
Tue, Feb 7, 2012 : 4:50 a.m.
Dear sHa, I was referring to websites stored on Dr. Weinblatt's computer. Re: 1/26/12 article by Lee Higgins- "In addition to recovering suspected child porn, police found a receipt email for a paid credit card subscription to a website called Teen Dreams, the report says. Police also found that various teen-themed and incest-themed websites appear to have been visited." There has been no substantiation of these statements: Rather, the writer (s) lack of factual follow-up only leaves the reader with speculation.
sHa
Tue, Feb 7, 2012 : 1:22 a.m.
@agataida - I have read the article. Where exactly is it that the writer should have added "alleged information"?
Unfortunate
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 7:56 p.m.
DougEFresh.... "Obviously child porn is not good". I am sorry, with all due respect, I do not think it is that obvious to you. The images in child porn are of Children being abused. The act, the remification, the abuse....has occured. There is NO distinction between the two...do you think the child in the computer is made up??? Perhaps imaginatary? How is that not abuse? "we as society deny a life of ANY sexual satisfaction for those who are attracted to children" YES! I sure hope so, as long as I live in this society.... This sickens me to read! This is not a choice for the child. I am sorry if someone is attracted to children, they need help. They need to seek council to understand why they feel that way, to allow others to abuse innocent children. For anyone thinks that supplying an addict with images of children will help to subdue their cravings, they are misguided....you would not give beer to an alcoholic and assume it is okay since it is not hard liquor.
donderop
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 7:52 p.m.
@DougEFresh: "Can we have compassion for those whose sexuality is different from yours or mine?" No, we can't have compassion for them because they help perpetuate the child pornography trade and continued torture of children. Didn't you read the article? I can tell you, as someone who was repeatedly molested and then raped at age five, and assaulted again at age eight, that our compassion should be reserved for the children -- not the predators.
Harm
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 7:22 p.m.
Let's also encourage international law enforcement to take more effective measures against the REAL animals, those who produce the material.
RJA
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 7:06 p.m.
Thank You, thank you! Always thought viewing child porn was a crime. (the child's memory lives on forever) And is not a healthy memory.
Roadman
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 5:10 p.m.
Child pornography is not a victimless crime and I am happy that the cases in Drs. Weinblatt are now being treated seriously and receiving the media scrutiny they deserve. My dismay however is reserved for the administrators and other personnel who did nothing for six months in the Jenson case. I am flabbergasted that police were not called immediately as this was evidence of a possible heinous crime. There is incalculable psychological harm created by the exploitation of defenseless children participating in child pornography. It is my sincere hope that accountability is meted out to thos U-M officials who "dropped the ball" here.
Tru2Blu76
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 4:51 p.m.
"Local issues" are also national issues: it's good to see AnnArbor.com publishing this kind of information. IMO: those who think pedophiles can "expect" protection of their privacy are mistaken, regardless. Abusing a right to commit a crime of this kind is also a crime. Lets pray that society and the law can get a handle on child abuse.
justcurious
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 4:24 p.m.
Though this article does not make note of it, Dr. Weinblatt also had images of child pornography on his home computer. From a previous article: "The FBI won't say whether it's investigating an Ann Arbor pediatrician after records show 69 images of suspected child pornography were found on computers that Ann Arbor police seized from his home."
halflight
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 2:59 p.m.
Kyle: Thanks for taking the initiative and covering this aspect of child pornography charges. Child pornography is not a victimless crime. Not only does the distribution of such images victimize the children appearing in them, but it also creates a market for those images, putting additional children in danger.
OLDTIMER3
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 2:48 p.m.
@ Kai, Thanks for the link. After reading the blog I've came to the conclusion that Joy is a very bright and couageous young lady. It was a very enlightening real life story to read. Very couageously wriitten. You can almost feel her terror at times.
sHa
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 2:05 p.m.
Thank you, AA.com. Those that still think viewing child porn is a victimless crime, after reading this article, need to have their heads examined.
trespass
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 1:37 p.m.
Even if it is the law that child porn is not considered child abuse under the mandatory reporting law, perhaps this incident shows that the law should be amended to include this.
Mick52
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 8:39 p.m.
What mandatory reporting law? The only one I know about is the statute that requires health care, social workers, teachers, police and fire, etc., to report suspected/abused children to DHS. Problem with that is that typically those folks do not come across child pornography like they do abused children. In this instance it would have applied, but I think it is a random occurrence and think about this: This was found by a physician, who would be covered, but it could also happen anywhere at the UM (or anywhere else) on any random computer. So adding it to this law, how significant would that be? This law appears to focus on people whose occupations are family and children centered. This is a summary of the law: <a href="http://www.michigan.gov/dhs/0,4562,7-124-5452_7119_44443-157836--,00.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.michigan.gov/dhs/0,4562,7-124-5452_7119_44443-157836--,00.html</a> I guess until we find out - if we ever do - exactly what they were thinking here, we won't know why this happened like it did. I am happy in the end it was handled properly. Now if for any reason the delay interferes with a conviction, then we can really start screaming.
Sam Smith
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 4:12 p.m.
Totally agree! Even if it's not mandatory report it immediately! Time to contact the lawmakers!
Kai Petainen
Mon, Feb 6, 2012 : 12:59 p.m.
a courageous blog about one persons experience on child abuse... <a href="http://blog.joyshaw.com/" rel='nofollow'>http://blog.joyshaw.com/</a>