Learner sexual offenders: Cyber child pornography

Abstract

Much has been written about child pornography with the emphasis on children as the victims, but far less has been written on children as the manufacturers and distributors of cyber pornography and the role of the school in this regard. Thinking of children as sexual offenders is disturbing and even more so if one considers that the manufacturing and distributing of the pornography takes place at schools or during school activities. Learners filming sexual acts by co-learners, learners distributing videos of co-learners having sex; learners receiving or being in possession of messages containing pornographic images; sexting; accessing pornographic websites while at school; watching pornographic material on their cell phones on school grounds are increasingly becoming 'normal' behaviour for learners. Many of these actions constitute child pornography. Schools are faced with the dilemma of having to give recognition to learners' right to freedom of expression and privacy and promote the use of technology, but simultaneously fulfil their obligations to protect learners from exposure to pornographic material, educating learners on responsible use of the internet and cell phones, and disciplining learners who commit sexual misconduct by means of cyber technology.