Increase in internet sexual abuse photos

THE number of internet photographs depicting sexual abuse of babies and toddlers is rapidly increasing, an expert has warned.

Professor Max Taylor of University College Cork's COPINE (Combating Paedophile Information Networks in Europe) project, said the level of abuse against children depicted in photographs circulating on the net was getting more vicious and sadistic.

Speaking at a seminar in UCC at the weekend called Understanding Child Pornography, Professor Taylor said while the typical age of children appearing in abusive images on the internet was between six and 12, the age profile was getting younger.