A 31-year-old Hobart man has been charged over a series of about 100 online offences committed against children over a five-year period. He was arrested by officers from Tasmania Police’s High Risk Child Exploitation team with the assistance of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (JACET). Police said the arrest followed a „significant investigation.” The man was remanded in custody to appear again in the Hobart Magistrates Court on September 28.
It is now growing evidence that the Internet is a new medium through which some commonly recognised forms of child maltreatment, sexual and emotional abuse, may be pursued. Children and young people, in particular, have readily embraced the new communication medium. The “downside” of the Internet revolution may be new opportunities to harm or abuse young Internet users. The Internet also facilitates the activities of offenders by providing a simple and quick means of communication which allows a person to remain anonymous and/or create false identities. ‘Illegal and restricted online content’ refers to content that ranges from the most seriously harmful material such as images and videos showing the sexual abuse of children or acts of terrorism, through to content that should not be accessed by children, such as simulated sexual activity, detailed nudity or high impact violence.
