SA man charged with possessing child abuse material

The South Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (SA JACET) has charged a Nuriootpa man with allegedly possessing child abuse material.

The man, 52, appeared before the Elizabeth Magistrates Court yesterday (15 July, 2024), where he was remanded in custody to reappear in Adelaide Magistrates Court on 12 September, 2024.

He was arrested on Sunday (14 July, 2024) after police executed a search warrant at his home in Nuriootpa.

Investigators from SA JACET, which comprises the AFP and South Australia Police, allegedly located three mobile phones containing child abuse material during the search of the home.

AFP Detective Senior Constable Jordan Dowling said anyone who possessed or shared child abuse material was perpetuating the cycle of abuse.

"Possessing child abuse material is not a victimless crime. Every time that material is accessed, viewed or shared, a child is being victimised again," Detective Senior Constable Dowling said.

The man was charged with one count of possessing child abuse material accessed or obtained using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).

The maximum penalty for the offence is 15 years' imprisonment.

The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) is driving a collaborative national approach to combatting child abuse.

The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.

Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.

If you or someone you know is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available.

Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety. Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at the ThinkUKnow website, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.

For more information on the role of the ACCCE, what is online child sexual exploitation and how to report it visit the ACCCE website.

Note to media

Use of term 'CHILD ABUSE' MATERIAL not 'CHILD PORNOGRAPHY'

The correct legal term is Child Abuse Material - the move to this wording was among amendments to Commonwealth legislation in 2019 to more accurately reflect the gravity of the crimes and the harm inflicted on victims.

Use of the phrase 'child pornography' is inaccurate and benefits child sex abusers because it:

• indicates legitimacy and compliance on the part of the victim and therefore legality on the part of the abuser; and
• conjures images of children posing in 'provocative' positions, rather than suffering horrific abuse.

Every photograph or video captures an actual situation where a child has been abuse

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