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Protecting Children: The Battle Against Child Pornography and Other Forms of Sexual Exploitation

Members

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Hon. Christopher Smith

Co-Chairman

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

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Hon. Joseph Pitts

Commissioner

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Witnesses

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James Plitt

Unit Chief, Cyber Crimes Center

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

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James Finch

Assistant Director, Cyber Division

Federal Bureau of Investigation

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Linda Smith

Founder and Executive Director

Shared Hope International

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Carol Smokenski

Executive Director

ECPAT-USA

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Mohamed Mattar

Executive Director

The Protection Project, Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies

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Ernie Allen

President and Chief Executive Officer

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

This hearing discussed the proliferation of child pornography and other crimes against children through trafficking, prostitution, and sex tourism. Annually, thousands of American children, at least half of which are boys, have been the victims of pornography and many subjected to violence in the process. Often, those guilty of such crimes have been parents, relatives, or acquaintances of these victims.

Victims of pornography have been disproportionately affected by depression and suicide and such victims have committed these crimes themselves, perpetuating this cycle.  Global criminal networks that profit from this activity have developed.   In the 1990s, the Commission began efforts to fight child pornography, and in the second half of the 1990s the Trafficking Victims Protection Act was passed. This strengthened the case more comprehensive actions against child pornography and other forms of sexual exploitation.

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