The re-arrest and on-going trial of Gerhard Ackerman, who is accused of running a child abuse and trafficking ring is providing an opportunity for South Africa to reflect on the type of language it uses – and has made acceptable – to refer to atrocious crimes against children.
Ackerman is facing more than 738 charges, which include child sexual abuse, rape, human trafficking and attempted murder.
How a man facing a slew of heinous crimes against children managed to get bail and subsequently break his bail conditions and evade arrest for more than two days speaks volumes about how South Africa treats its children.
He was charged with these crimes alongside senior lawyer Paul Kennedy, who committed suicide last year before the trial began.
The term “child pornography” is uttered, written and mentioned countless times on radio, TV, court, the internet, social media and in everyday speech as this case is heard at the Joburg high court.
Child abuse, child exploitation and trafficking are casually referred to as “child pornography” or “child porn”.
These two words should never be used together. The International Criminal Police Organisation, commonly known as Interpol, of which South
Africa is member, has very clear guidelines on terminology and language to use when referring to sexual crimes against children.
Interpol – the global organisation that facilitates cooperation and crime control around the world – have what they call “Terminology Guidelines for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse”, commonly referred to as the Luxembourg guidelines, which offer guidance on the language to use when dealing with the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
Interpol describes pornography as “a term used for adults engaging in consensual sexual acts distributed (mostly) legally to the general [adult] public for their sexual pleasure”.
“When children are involved, it is not porn. It is a crime,” it says.
To the media, law and different sectors of South African society that refers to the sexual abuse of children as pornography – it is not, it is child abuse, it is a crime.
To the abusers that are referred to as customers and clients – they are “abusers” – they may not be on trial with Ackerman, but they are not customers and clients – they are abusers and offenders.
There is no “child prostitution” but the exploitation and abuse of children for prostitution.
To the Film Publications Board – South Africa’s government agency that regulates the content of films, games and certain publications through
classification to protect children from exposure to disturbing, harmful and material – remove the term “child pornography” in your lexicon.
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