Understanding what is child pornography is one of the most difficult aspects of dealing with the problem. There are many cultural interpretations of what is obscene or suggestive. In some cultures, “erotica” would be considered pornographic.

Many people find it difficult to imagine pornographic images of children, and therefore do not understand what is meant by ‘child pornography’. Also among the issues which cause disagreement are the age of consent to sexual relations, whether simple possession of child pornography should be a crime, whether an actual child had to be involved and whether morphed images constitute pornography.

Interpol’s Specialist Group on Crimes against Children states that “child pornography is the consequence of the exploitation or sexual abuse perpetrated against a child. It can be defined as any means of depicting or promoting sexual abuse of a child, including print and/or audio, centered on (a) sexual act or the genital organs of children.”

The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography defines child pornography as ‘any representation, by whatever means, of a child engaged in real or simulated explicit sexual activities or any representation of the sexual parts of a child, the dominant characteristic of which is depiction for a sexual purpose.’

Child pornography can exist in different forms. Visual child pornography is the most common, meaning the visual depiction of a child engaged in explicit sexual activity, real or simulated, or the lewd exhibition of genitals. Audio child pornography is the use of any audio devices using a child’s voice, real or simulated, intended for the sexual gratification of the user. Child pornography can also be simple text that describes sexual acts or is intended to provide sexual gratification.