The “virtual” child
The unconscious functions of child sexual exploitation material
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21748063 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Julie M Brown (0009-0007-6022-3504, Dublin City University), Ray O Neill (0000-0002-8953-1718, Dublin City University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Publication date | 2024-12-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1556-9187 • E-ISSN: 1742-3341 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/aps.1892 |
| OpenAlex | W4401952382 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 42 |
The narratives of individuals using child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) highlight the individual and unconscious functions of this type of sexual offense. Fluid cycles of projection into and identification with the children in the imagery were evident, as were marked differences in the intensity and exclusivity of pedophilic sexual preference. Anger was a common trigger, but conscious awareness of any associated hostilities toward the child in the imagery was vigorously defended against. The Internet, the now dominant context of child sexual abuse, offers a distinct type of environment, on the porous boundary between the internal and the external, that seems to encourage regression to early, varied paraphilic sexuality and part‐object relations. Interactions in online forums facilitated the projection of pedophilic interests and sadistic impulses into other users. Broad empirical findings on the characteristics of those who use CSEM, coupled with this study and clinical experience, suggest that many who engage in this activity have an essentially neurotic structure
Developmental psychology · Psychoanalysis · Unconscious mind · Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance · Psychology · Sex work and related issues · Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
Doing Qualitative Research Differently
The mind of the paedophile
How Common is Men's Self-Reported Sexual Interest in Prepubescent Children
Doubt in the psychoanalysis of a paedophile
The paedophile and his inner world
Stability of Self-Reported Arousal to Sexual Fantasies Involving Children in a Clinical Sample of Pedophiles and Hebephiles
Is Pedophilia a Sexual Orientation
Creativity and Perversion
Meaning and Content of a Pedophiliac Perversion
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |