Child pornography. Wasn t this problem solved in the 1980s? Does it still exist?<br >Why write a book about child pornography in the 1990s? There are thousands of reasons--<br >one for each sexually exploited child under age 18. Because production， distribution and sale<br >of child pomography is a secretive business， the determination of the extent of the problem<br >is extremely difficult. Estimates of the number of children involved range from the thou-<br >sands to the hundreds of thousands. Available statistics cannot be verified and the facts and<br >figures vary， but one thing is clear: A significant number of children are being sexually<br >exploited through the medium of child pornography. Although methods of collecting child<br >pornography victim statistics vary from state to state， country to country， if even one child<br >is spared exploitation， this book has purpose.<br > Child pornography refers to pictorial depictions of children in sexually explicit poses<br > and acts. Unlike sketches， drawings and statues， which may or may not have employed live<br >child models， pictorial depictions indic hte that achild is exploited in order to produce the<br > published product.<br > The bottom line is: child pornography is produced at the psychological expense of the<br > photographed child. Therefore， what is commonly referred to as "child pornography" is not<br > so much a form of pornography as it is a form of sexual exploitation of children. The<br > distinguishing characteristic of child pornography， as generally understood， is that actual<br > children are photographed while engaged in some form of sexual activity， either with adults，<br >ofaer children or animals.<br > 271e inevitably permanent record of that sexual activity created by a photograph is a<br >~m to the children photographed. But， even if the photograph were never again seen， the<br >ry activity involved in creating the photograph is itself an act of sexual exploitation of<br >ildren. The issues related to the sexual abuse of children and those related to child<br >rnography are inextricably linked. Child pornography necessarily includes the sexual<br >use of a real child， and， there can be no understanding of the problem of child pornography<br >til there is understanding of the way in which child pornography is child abuse.<br > Pornographic exploitation of children makes people react in one of five different ways:<br >: first has never heard of it; the second says "live and let live"; the third becomes sick，<br >~ry and motivated to action; the fourth profiteers from it and the fifth is sexually excited<br >it.<br > In spite of legislation to regulate child pornography， those who work with it daily see<br >s a problem. Law enforcement officers， protective service workers and adult bookstore<br >hers interviewed say that child pornography is still available if you know the right person<br >:an produce it yourself.<br > Why is there child pornography? It exists because children seek attention and affection<br >ch is lacking in their homes. It exists because of a breakdown in families--an alienation<br >:hildren from traditional values. It exists because parents are involved in creating adult<br >