TY - JOUR
T1 - CHARACTERISTICS AND BEHAVIORS OF ANONYMOUS USERS OF DARK WEB PLATFORMS SUSPECTED OF CHILD SEXUAL OFFENSES
AU - Woodhams, Jessica
AU - Kloess, Juliane
AU - Jose, Bren
AU - Hamilton-Giachritsis, Catherine
PY - 2021/4/9
Y1 - 2021/4/9
N2 - International law enforcement have noted a rise in the use of the Dark Web to facilitateand commit sexual offenses against children, both prior to and since the start of theCOVID-19 pandemic. The study presented here therefore aimed to investigate thecharacteristics and behaviors of anonymous users of Dark Web platforms who weresuspected of engaging in the sexual abuse of children. Naturally-occurring data on53 anonymous suspects, who were active on the Dark Web and had come to policeattention in the United Kingdom (UK), were sampled. Analysis of the data yielded 462features that could be coded reliably. Analysis of these features provided novel insightsinto suspects’ characteristics, their motivations for using the Dark Web, the nature of theoffending behavior they reported engaging in, their technical and security precautions,sexual interests, and the content of their interactions with one another. Findings arediscussed in relation to theoretical and practical implications, as well as directions forfuture research.
AB - International law enforcement have noted a rise in the use of the Dark Web to facilitateand commit sexual offenses against children, both prior to and since the start of theCOVID-19 pandemic. The study presented here therefore aimed to investigate thecharacteristics and behaviors of anonymous users of Dark Web platforms who weresuspected of engaging in the sexual abuse of children. Naturally-occurring data on53 anonymous suspects, who were active on the Dark Web and had come to policeattention in the United Kingdom (UK), were sampled. Analysis of the data yielded 462features that could be coded reliably. Analysis of these features provided novel insightsinto suspects’ characteristics, their motivations for using the Dark Web, the nature of theoffending behavior they reported engaging in, their technical and security precautions,sexual interests, and the content of their interactions with one another. Findings arediscussed in relation to theoretical and practical implications, as well as directions forfuture research.
U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.623668
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.623668
M3 - Article
SN - 1664-1078
VL - 12
JO - Frontiers in Psychology
JF - Frontiers in Psychology
M1 - 623668
ER -