A deeper dive into the horror of child sexual abuse material
Film and Publication Board assistant communication manager Manala Botolo says child pornography is the most severe violation of human rights, as it inflicts long-lasting harm on the most vulnerable of victims.
Following the recent arrest of a couple in possession of approximately 10 million child pornographic pictures and video files, it seems timeous to explore exactly what it entails.
Child pornography is a crime against the most vulnerable – Children.
The Film and Publication Board (FPB) works in partnership with like-minded organisations in South Africa, and around the world, to close in on perpetrators of these crimes against children.
What is child pornography?
FPB assistant communications manager Manala Botolo said they prefer to use the term child sexual abuse material (CSAM), instead of child pornography, as this includes sexual exploitation of children, creating and/or distributing explicit content of children for pornographic purposes, sexual grooming of children, and exposing or displaying adult sexual images to children.
“According to the Films and Publications Act No. 65 of 1996, child pornography means child pornography as defined in section 1 of the Criminal Law Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amendment Act No. 32 of 2007.
“According to section 1 of the act: Child pornography means any image, however, created, or any description of a person, real or simulated, who is or who is depicted, made to appear, look like, or described as being under the age of 18 years, engaged in explicit sexual conduct, or showing the display of genitals in a sexualised manner,” said Botolo.
Asked how serious this crime is in South Africa, especially because it involves the most vulnerable, she said CSAM is a very serious offence as any person can be criminalised for the creation, production, possession, viewing, or even grooming or inciting a child to participate in such material.
“These carry a severe criminal penalty which may include long-term imprisonment and/or fines, together with registration on the national register for sex offenders.
“The FPB is concerned about these issues in South Africa, with reports indicating that it is a growing problem. The phenomenon is alarming, with increasing cases being reported. Law enforcement agencies (LEA) and child protection organisations are actively working to combat this issue, but challenges remain,” added Botolo.
She said they work closely with LEAs, leveraging established relationships to support investigations involving suspected CSAM through their team of child protection officers (CPO). Botolo said in the current financial year (2024/2025) they have analysed 18 cases received from authorities which had a lot of confirmed CSAM.
“From the 2020/2021 to the 2023/2024 financial years, LEA’s have referred a total of 69 suspected cases of CSAM to the board. Technology can play a huge role in combating CSAM, there are organisations currently implementing image hashing. This is a technique used to create a unique digital fingerprint or identifier for an image. This technique is useful in scenarios of combating and detecting child sexual abuse material in the online space,” said Botolo.
What impacts does this have?
Botolo said CSAM is the most severe violation of human rights. It inflicts long-lasting harm on the victims, their dignity, and society at large.
“It strips children of safety by violating their bodily autonomy, as they are not adults, and subjects them to exploitation, physical harm, and psychological abuse. As the internet never forgets, once images are shared online, they are nearly impossible to completely remove”.
By nature, children are vulnerable and lack the ability to give informed consent. CSAM exploits this vulnerability, turning children into commodities in the eyes of the perpetrators, she added.
The age definition of CSAM applies to individuals under the age of 18 years, which is consistent with the age of a child under South African Law.
The law criminalises offenders who create, produce, or distribute CSAM, it also criminalises offenders who are in possession of CSAM, even if not distributed, who access or view CSAM, as well as offenders who groom or incite a child to participate in the production of such material.
“As stated above, offences involving CSAM carry severe criminal penalties which may include long-term imprisonment, fines, and registration in the national register for sex offenders. The law recognises CSAM as a form of sexual exploitation and abuse, and its prohibition extends to all forms of its creation, possession, or sharing, whether involving real or simulated depictions.”
Women and Men Against Child Abuse’s (WMACA) Miranda Jordan says the scale of this case demands strict legal action to prevent any obstruction of justice. “A crime of this magnitude requires specialised resources, a thorough investigation, and strong prosecutorial attention. Beyond the legal proceedings, WMACA continues to challenge the language used to describe these crimes. The term: child pornography, is still used in public discourse and embedded in legal statutes, including the Films and Publications Act 65 of 1996 and the Sexual Offences Act 32 of 2007. This terminology misrepresents the reality and horror of these offences, as pornography implies consent, something children can never give. The law must recognise this and act accordingly,” said Jordan in a statement.
WMACA insists that perpetrators of these crimes are not passive consumers but active participants in the abuse of children. The justice system must not treat this as a lesser crime or allow leniency. South Africa must take a firm stand against child exploitation, ensuring that offenders face the harshest legal consequences.
“The user is as guilty as the abuser. South Africa cannot afford to turn a blind eye. The organisation is committed to fact-based, respectful discourse that ensures these crimes are reported with the full gravity they deserve,” added Jordan.
Reporting Mechanisms: Complaints regarding CSAM can be reported to the FPB via: phone: 0800 148 148; email: clientsupport@fpb.org.za; Website: FPB Website, or WhatsApp Channel: 083 428 4767.
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