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Exercise 2: Empathy

Understanding the behaviour 1H – Images are minors Exercise 2: Empathy

Empathy is about trying to understand what another person may be thinking and feeling in a given situation, i.e. ‘putting yourself in their shoes’. Empathy is not just understanding another person’s opinions and feelings at the level of the head; it also means having an idea, from an emotional point of view, of what a person is feeling.

Why is empathy hard?

We generally find it harder to empathize or identify with other people who are “not like us”. For many people looking at illegal images on the Internet, the ability to empathize is difficult because you cannot identify with any one minor. A minor in an image can be seen as being “far removed” from the person looking at images of this minor online. This may be because of the physical distance created by the computer screen, or because the minor is unlike the individual looking at the image. The minor may be underprivileged, isolated or without a voice, they may be an orphan, or in care, or being controlled by an abusive family. This means it is harder for the person looking at the image to feel empathy for the victim in the image. This exercise is designed to help you “get to know” the human being behind the photograph with his/her own thoughts, feelings, problems and life.

HEALTH AND SAFETY WARNING

This exercise is challenging and emotionally demanding. It is important that you take a break during this exercise if you feel you need to. Consider self-care, such as having someone you can talk to if you are feeling emotional afterwards or making sure that you have something nice planned to do. Remember negative mood states often put you at risk of further offending. At all times, you can contact the Ça suffit helpline at 1-844-654-3111.

Understanding the behaviour 1H – Images are minors Exercise 2: Empathy

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PART A: How have you got to where you are?

As part of this exercise you should think of a minor in a photograph that you have seen. Answer the following questions as realistically as you can:

Why are you looking at this image?
How did you come across this photo?
What do you gain from looking at this image?
What brought you to the point of looking at these types of images?

PART B: Who is directing the action and why?

Using the same image you have recalled for the previous part of this exercise, extend the image to include the room where it is happening, the person taking the photograph and the instructions being given. Answer the following questions:

Who is taking the photograph and why they are taking it?
What cues are they ignoring in the minor’s behaviour?
What are they telling themselves to justify taking the photograph?
What do they plan to do with the photograph after it has been taken?

PART C: The child in the image

One common justification people use to allow themselves to continue accessing sexual images of minors is that the minors in the images are “not real ones” – that what is being looked at online is only a picture on a screen. This next exercise asks you to try and get to know the subject of an image you have seen and help you understand that this minor in this image is a real minor – who has thoughts, feelings, hopes and dreams – who is being sexually abused. Still recalling the same image, create a character sketch about them by responding to the following questions. Although the image in your head could be of a boy, girl, or both, the prompts given will reflect a female.

Who is the girl in this photo?
Where was she born? Where does she call home?
What makes her laugh out loud?
What is her most treasured possession?
What does she do in her free time?
Who does she admire? Who is her hero? Why?
What is her biggest fear? Who has she told this to? Who would she never tell this to? Why?
What does she hope to be when she grows up?
Who does she go to when she is scared?
Who is the girl’s family? Who are her parents? Does she have siblings?
Who are her friends?
How did the girl get to be in front of the camera?
What does she think is happening?
If she has been told to keep what has happened a secret, how would that make her feel?
What will she think about before she goes to sleep at night?

Hopefully, this exercise has helped you “get to know” the human being behind the photograph with his/her own thoughts, feelings, problems and life.

PART D: Effects of victimization

Return once again to the original picture during the time at which the photographs are being taken (Part A). Consider the minor’s perspective of what is happening while this photographic shoot is taking place, and the effects that having this photograph taken might be on the minor, by responding to the following.

What might he/she think and feel while being abused?
For what other reason might he/she be smiling in the photograph? Focus on the reality that may lie behind that smile.
Try to imagine how he/she might behave, think and feel after being abused.
What impact might the continuing presence of photographs on the Internet have on the minor?
How might the minor behave, think and feel if they try and talk about the abuse to another adult?
1. How might this affect their relationship with the adult?
2. How did this disclosure come about?
Try and describe what the long-term consequences of the abuse may be for the minor. Pay attention to the particular role that being photographed may have played.

Having completed this exercise, read the next section to find out what is actually known about the effects of being photographed.

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Événement	Âge	Situation ou événement de la vie - Qu'est-ce qui vous a amené à franchir une barrière dans votre progression vers un comportement sexuel problématique?	Activités ou actions - Décrivez les comportements que vous avez adoptés.	Comment vous sentiez-vous à ce moment-là?	Le fait d'utiliser Internet ou d'avoir des fantasmes envers les personnes mineures a-t-il changé votre façon de penser? De quelle manière? Retrouvez les pensées qui accompagnaient régulièrement chaque activité.
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Module 1A - Comprendre pourquoi

PARTIE C : Comprendre votre comportement au fil du temps

En examinant votre journal et votre ligne du temps, posez-vous les questions suivantes :

1. Quel contrôle pensez-vous avoir eu sur les événements qui vous ont poussé à adopter un comportement plus risqué? En y repensant, comment auriez-vous pu les gérer autrement?

2. Quel contrôle pensez-vous avoir eu sur les choix que vous avez faits avant de passer à un comportement plus délinquant? Pourquoi?

3. Quels effets ou tendances pouvez-vous constater sur le développement de vos fantasmes sexuels?

Réfléchissez maintenant à la date à laquelle vous avez commencé à utiliser régulièrement Internet pour avoir des comportements ou des fantasmes sexuels :

1. Qu’est-ce qui vous a décidé à utiliser Internet?

2. L’utilisation d’Internet a-t-elle changé votre façon de penser? De quelle manière?

3. Avec le temps, quel effet Internet a-t-il eu sur votre vie hors ligne (dans le monde réel)?

4. Comment décririez-vous votre vie en ligne (pendant que vous utilisez Internet)?

Pensez maintenant à l’événement unique qui vous a amené à accéder à des contenus illégaux en ligne pour la première fois ou à avoir des fantasmes sexuels problématiques :

1. Pourquoi pensez-vous que c’est cet événement en particulier qui vous a amené à accéder pour la première fois à un contenu illégal? Pourquoi pas quelque chose d’autre qui se serait produit avant cela dans votre vie?

2. Y a-t-il eu d’autres événements dans votre vie, en dehors de ce que vous avez mentionné, qui auraient pu contribuer à votre décision d’aller voir des images sexuelles d’enfants sur Internet ou d’entretenir des fantasmes sexuels problématiques?

3. Pourquoi pensez-vous avoir continué ce comportement?

4. À l’aide de la liste ci-dessous, notez tous les comportements sexuels problématiques que vous avez eus :

Pouvez-vous dire comment vos infractions ont évolué avec le temps et quels comportements elles impliquaient?

5. Avez-vous, à un moment donné, essayé de cesser d’utiliser Internet pour accéder à des images illégales d’enfants? Si oui, combien de fois avez-vous essayé d’arrêter? Pourquoi pensez-vous que vous n’avez pas réussi?

6. Quelles sont les raisons importantes qui vous motivent à vous attaquer à votre comportement maintenant? À quel point est-ce qu’elles sont importantes pour vous?

Understanding the behaviour