Victims of child porn hit record high in ’13

11:59 pm, March 06, 2014
Jiji Press
The National Police Agency reported Thursday that the number of victims of child pornography identified by police in 2013 totaled 646, up 22 percent from the preceding year, reaching the highest level since records began in 2000.

The data showed that 42 percent of victims, 270 children and young adults, were coerced into taking photos or videos of themselves naked and passing the files on via e-mail, up from 63 victims in 2012. Among the victims, 20 were of elementary school age or younger, up from six the year before.

The police data encompassed children under the age of 18.

“The growing use of smartphones and other mobile devices that easily connect to the Internet is behind the increase in the number of such victims,” an NPA official said.

The police plan to strengthen support for both parents and children. “It is difficult to remove photos and images once they are posted on the Internet, but few fully understand the risk,” the official said.

The number of child pornography cases handled by police in 2013 rose by 48 to a record 1,644 cases.

Among those, 797 cases involved production of child pornography, up 153 cases from the previous year.