Statement of Congressman John D. Dingell, Ranking Member
Committee on Energy and Commerce

SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS HEARING ON
“SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN OVER THE INTERNET: WHAT PARENTS, KIDS AND CONGRESS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHILD PREDATORS”

April 4, 2006

Mr. Chairman, thank you for opening this important investigation and convening the first hearing today. This hearing will examine one of the most disturbing topics affecting the safety and health of our youngest citizenry. Those who have found the Internet a most expedient venue for peddling the worse kind of smut, not only profit from some of the most heinous crimes imaginable, but also encourage its creation around the world.

Let us be clear about this. This is not about pornographic images of adults. What we are investigating today is the purveyance of live and videotaped broadcasts, as well as photographs, of sexual and other physical assaults on children -- many prepubescent but some as young as toddlers and infants -- for the purpose of producing images for sale or trade over the Internet. The Internet has regrettably provided the medium for the exponential growth in these deplorable crimes.

The uses of the Internet by tech-savvy pedophiles are many. Among their most common uses are pay-to-view Web sites and peer-to-peer chat rooms. Some of these chat rooms provide opportunity to trade images. Unfortunately, the price of admission is often new material; hence, the ease of contact via the Internet has contributed to the incentives and growth of the horrendous abuse endured by these young victims, usually within their own home.

Other chat rooms contain the candid thoughts of millions of adolescent and even preteen subscribers. Molesters, often initially posing as an adolescent themselves, use these chat rooms to seduce unsuspecting children into meetings for their heinous pleasure and/or profit.

I suspect we will learn more about the ways and means of the Internet perverts today and at future hearings. What is certain is that this global problem has deep and dirty tentacles right here in the United States.

Taking away the profit and anonymity from these criminals may not put an end to these crimes. Reducing the convenience and incentives for the depraved individuals who use the Internet for such activities, however, will be an important start. As this Committee works on increasing broadband competition and Internet use across the country, we must also work toward eliminating the scourge of child pornography from the Internet.

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(Contact: Jodi Seth, 202-225-3641)