Principal charged with possession of child porn in court again
The principal faces eight charges with regard to the possession of child pornography. The investigation has been receiving priority treatment by a dedicated team of police officers attached to the PHO: Gauteng (Family Violence Child Protection Sexual Offences Unit
NELSPRUIT – A former school principal accused of various crimes regarding child pornography, briefly appeared in the Sexual Offences Court on Tuesday.
The case against the man (46) was postponed to August 26 for trial.
The principal faces eight charges with regard to the possession of child pornography. The investigation has been receiving priority treatment by a dedicated team of police officers attached to the PHO: Gauteng (Family Violence Child Protection Sexual Offences Unit).
Seven suspects have appeared in courts across the country in connection with the same investigations by police and Interpol. Media had reported the case had links to Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Western Europe and Australasia.
Two sets of parents from the Lowveld are also currently appearing in the Nelspruit courts on child pornography related charges involving their own children. The Barberton parents are set to appear on April 10 in the Sexual Offences Court.
Lecturer in forensic social work at the North West University’s Potchefstroom campus, Ms Sufran Smith, stated that in her opinion, there was definitely an increase in cases of child sexual abuse, because of improvements in technology. “It is easier to produce and distribute pornography than a few years ago. It is not necessarily paedophiles that produce pornography, it can be sexual offenders who do it for the financial benefit, but paedophiles will likely be the clients who buy it.”
Smith then explained the differences between a sex offender and a paedophile. She said one should be careful to use the term paedophile, as it was a diagnosis. “Only a psychologist or psychiatrist can make that diagnosis. Child sexual abuse occurs when someone with an advanced knowledge, age or power engages a more naïve, vulnerable or weaker person into a sexualised relationship with or without the consent of the younger person.
She said anyone who committed a sexual crime was a sexual offender. “Sometimes it can be because the person is under the influence of alcohol or any other substance. “ She added people can even involve children in pornography because they get a financial kick from it.
Smith said the definition of a paedophile was an adult who was sexually attracted to children. She said they were generally unable to enjoy and respond to sexual contact with adult sexual partners. “Some paedophiles do marry, have children and cope superficially in adult sexual relationships.” According to Smith, they usually only achieve arousal and orgasm with adults by fantasizing about sexual activities with children whether they are heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual.
“If they never acted on those desires, they would not be sex offenders. That means you can actually be a paedophile without ever committing a crime.”
