DEAR ABBY: My letter is in response to "Terrified in the South," who discovered her husband's interest in child pornography. "Terrified" asked whether you thought her husband could be a child molester and said that she couldn't stand the thought of her husband touching her "if he ... hurt a child like that."
Abby, her husband doesn't need to physically touch a child to "hurt a child like that"; his desire for child pornography creates and fuels the demand for the sexual exploitation of children. Please inform your readers that the very act of downloading or viewing child pornography is a criminal act and creates the environment for children to be sexually abused by SOMEONE.
The U.S. Customs Service investigates the trafficking of child pornography via the Internet. If your readers suspect someone is involved with child pornography over the Internet, referrals can be made by calling 1-800-BE ALERT (1-800-232-5378) or via e-mail to c3(at)customs.treas.gov. -- GABRIEL HAGAN, SPECIAL AGENT, U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE
DEAR SPECIAL AGENT HAGAN: Thank you for your expertise on this subject. Child pornography is a vice that affects everyone whose lives are in any way touched by it. I suspect your letter will be clipped and saved by concerned readers.