She revealed the horrific pain behind those numbers in written testimony that described her experiences as a victim of online child molestation and pornography.
It's part of a larger law called the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, which requires convicted child molesters to be listed on a national Internet database and face a felony charge for failing to update their whereabouts. In May, Masha Allen, a Russian-born 13-year-old, put a face on child pornography and its victims when she testified before Congress.
In July, President Bush signed Masha's Law, which dramatically increases the fines and penalties for downloading kiddie porn. There are dozens of notices of other pending cases, a number that does not begin to reflect the actual number of potential defendants in criminal and civil cases. Nine other people have been convicted in federal court for downloading Masha's pictures. Masha's courage may now assist lawmakers as they look for ways to combat the growing child-porn industry.Īuthorities say one in five children is now approached by online predators in what Congress calls a multibillion-dollar industry. "If they tell somebody, it's going to change." "Even if they are afraid to tell somebody, no matter what they think is going to happen, it's going to be for the better," she said.
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