HOME M.A.K.O.
Australian News
The purpose of this website/ information is to promote public awareness/ protection, prevent you and those close to you from the potential dangers posed by individuals who have committed sex offences in the past and to deter sex offenders from offending/re-offending. Any criminal actions taken by persons against the offenders named within this site, may result in arrest and prosecution of those persons.

Home    About MAKO    Services    Contact    Prevention    MAKO/Files    Community Notification    Report    Referral    Profile's    Facts/ Stats    Online Dangers    Child Safety    MAKO Petitions    Research/ Resources    Books    DNA Info
Safety For Women    News/ Articles    Your Comments    Australian Politicians/ Contacts    Join    Sponsors    Donations    Links

Law to Snare Net Sex Pests


PEDOPHILES using internet chatrooms to prey on children would be targeted under a new law being investigated by the Attorney- General's Department.
"Anti-grooming" laws would provide police - posing online as children - with greater powers to prosecute predators for contacting them with the intention of committing a sexual crime against a child.
The law was introduced in Queensland in February and has already lead to the sentencing of a 26-year- old man who tried to procure a 13-year-old girl for sex using a chatroom.
Child protection expert Professor Freda Briggs said the law - also being developed in WA - was long overdue in SA.
"It will mean that predators will be less likely to use the Internet if there is a risk of them being caught red- handed," she said.
She said most children who disclosed their age in chatrooms were sent pornography often as a way to groom them for future sexual encounters.
Under the proposal, police could operate "stings" online, responding to advances by pedophiles.
The Australian Institute or Criminology has thrown its support behind the law, saying it can stop pedophiles in their tracks.
In its Typology of Online Child Pornography Offending report, released in August, the institute warned "we do not know how prevalent grooming is".
"The greater long term value in any sting operation may lie in exploding the view that the Internet is an anonymous domain in which it is safe to offend," the report says.
SAPOL Electronic Crime Section Detective Senior Sergeant John Schrader said he supported any measures likely to help tackle predators online.
Sunday Mail (17-10-2004)
Chris Pippos


Australian News
About Child Pornography
Copyright © MAKO 2005. All Rights Reserved. Legal/Disclaimer/ Privacy/ Terms Of Use.