Why Politics Matter When Fighting Child Exploitation

I don't enjoy politics. I rarely want to discuss them. It seems like conflict often accompanies such conversations. But when I became a parent, and as I have grown and matured, I have seen the importance of being invested enough to make an educated vote. We have laws to protect us, but if our judicial authorities are not utilizing the laws, then what good are they?

In the rest of this article, I want to look at why politics matter when fighting child exploitation.

• Controversy Around Judge Brown Jackson
• Judge Brown Jackson Consistent with Mainstream Rulings on Child Exploitation
• A Fundamental Problem: Viewers Feed Demand
• So What Can You Do About It?

Controversy Around Judge Brown Jackson

You may, or may not have heard the outrage around Judge Brown Jackson being confirmed. She was raked across the coals for not giving out appropriate sentences to those found guilty of possessing child pornography. After hearing remarks on Judge Brown Jackson, I decided to do a bit of my own digging. 

Here are links to my findings:

• https://nypost.com/2022/04/02/ketanyi-brown-jackson-even-chose-leniency-in-baby-sex-cases/
• https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250758/ketanji-brown-jackson-response-sentencing-guidelines-child-pornography
• https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/599304-hawley-jackson-engage-in-dramatic-clash-over-handling-of-child-pornography/
•  Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1504221926662844418

While all of that sounds -- and is -- terribly alarming, I discovered something else that is even more alarming! I came to find that it is actually acceptable and considered "main stream" to give lower than government advised sentences to perpetrators found guilty of viewing or distributing child pornography.

Judge Brown Jackson consistent with mainstream rulings on child exploitation

This first article is where I was lead on my very informative rabbit trail.......

• https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fact-check-judge-ketanji-brown-jackson-child-porn/story?id=83565833

I decided to dig deeper. For a long time, I have believed perpetrators receive "slap on the wrist" sentences, but I had no idea there was data to back up my opinion. I found some very intriguing information from the United States Sentencing Commission:  

"Although sentences imposed remain lengthy, courts increasingly apply downward variances in response to the high guideline ranges that apply to the typical non-production child pornography offender.

• In fiscal year 2019, less than one-third (30.0%) of non-production child pornography offenders received a sentence within the guideline range.
• The majority (59.0%) of non-production child pornography offenders received a variance below the guideline range.
• Non-government sponsored below range variances accounted for 42.2 percent of sentences imposed, and government sponsored below range variances accounted for 16.8 percent.

Why is this mainstream?

Why is this acceptable??

Why in the WORLD are our judicial branches NOT handing out harder sentences???

A Fundamental Problem: Viewers Feed the Demand

While they may categorize these as "lesser crimes" than creating, child pornography is created because there is a demand for it. These perpetrators that we are barely punishing are FEEDING THE DEMAND. It is a vicious and dangerous cycle. 

Studies are showing that pornography is a drug and when a person becomes addicted the addiction only grows and it leads to them viewing and searching out harder and harder porn. 

https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-porn-can-become-an-escalating-behavior/

 Watching pornography is also found to often promote sexual violence:

 https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-porn-can-promote-sexual-violence/

 It also promotes sexual objectification:

 https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-porn-can-normalize-sexual-objectification/

"Simply watching porn" is NOT a victimless crime. Having child pornography in your possession is possessing violent porn. There is NO WAY AROUND IT. Children are NOT sexual objects---no matter how close they are to 18. Viewing the abuse and violation of another is never victimless, it is never okay, it should NEVER be seen as such--ESPECIALLY by our judicial system. 

So what can you do about it? 

We have the voting primaries coming up soon here in America.  

KNOW YOUR CANDIDATES! GO VOTE!

From your local school board to your governors... 

Know how they behave when in office or in business. Whatever their avenue to effect policies and decisions, check their records.

People can say anything. What do they DO?

Politics matter when fighting child exploitation.