No link between child porn and sexual abuse

There is no link between looking at child pornography and sexual abuse of youngsters, a senior police officer told a conference today. Studies have found no correlation between those who download graphic images of youngsters via the internet and child molesters.

Dr Stuart Kirby, Detective Chief Superintendent with Lancashire Police, told the International Investigative Psychology Conference: "When you look at all the research that has been done nationally, the consensus is that there has not proven to be a link between the viewing of pornography and the committing of hands-on offences."

"In a follow-up study by Lancashire Police, that was found to be clearly the case."

source: Article 'No link between child porn and sexual abuse'; www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?story=HF1520736Z&news_headline=no_link_between_child_porn_and_sexual_abuse; Life Style Extra; 15 December 2005