Children as young as 12 seeking sex on the Internet

New Zealand children as young as 12 are actively seeking sexual contact with adults on the Internet with little idea of the ongoing consequences of their actions. [...] These were children who willingly sent inappropriate images of themselves to adults they had contacted on the Internet. [...]

"Whatever our beliefs, children are sexual," Ms Chisholm [NetSafe operations manager] said. "They have desires and are drawn to places they should not go." Prof Berson said she had been wary of the complicit victim terminology when she first heard it. "I am very wary of catchy terms for a very complex problem," she said. She said in the United States about 95% of sex crimes were "non-forceable" - the young person knew in advance the intention of a "real world" meeting with their abuser. "They do not have the capacity to think through {their actions} thoughtfully ... they're impulsive," Prof Berson said.

source: Article 'Children as young as 12 seeking sex on the Internet' by Felicity Wolfe; www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/15661/children-young-12-seeking-sex-internet; Otago Daily Times; 31 July 2008