Child Pornography and the Law: A Clinician's Guide

Child pornography, also known as child sexual abuse images, is a growing problem. Clients who engage in viewing, possessing, or the pandering of child pornographic images may come to clinical attention through legal avenues, referrals by family members, or even self-referral. While it is important that anyone who encounters legal problems related to child pornography obtain experienced legal counsel, it is also important that clinicians working with these clients understand both legal statutes and case law so that they can provide supportive care and avoid offering information that could be contradictory or inaccurate. The following article reviews current child pornography statutes and case law that is relevant to clinicians who treat individual for sexual addiction, sexual compulsivity, and/or hypersexual disorder. Given that this is an evolving field, it is the duty of clinicians to remain up to date in this area so that they do not provide information that could harm their clients and to better understand the process and issues that their clients face.