Skip to main content

Self-help program

4.1 What makes people use it

The aim of the following tasks is help you understand the motives that guide behavior and the needs that you may be trying to fulfil through your use of CSAM.

You will examine the extent to which you have sexual interests in children and how much these interests have guided your path towards using CSAM. You will investigate your personal problem-solving styles and self-regulation (e.g. what stopped you from achieving a sense of control and power and sexual gratification by other means than using CSAM?). You will also consider alternative ways of fulfilling your needs (e.g. need for power, control or sexual gratification) that you have previously fulfilled by using CSAM.

The aim of the following tasks is to help you understand the deeper goals and motives operating in the background causing you to use CSAM and the methods you choose to achieve these goals. Realizing this supports your sense of self-efficacy and hope and thereby develops your skills to set meaningful life goals and to flexibly explore different ways to achieve them. ​​

What makes people use CSAM and what do they gain from it?

Reflect on these questions and write down your thoughts

  • What makes people use CSAM?
  • What underlying motives and needs do CSAM users have?
  • What do users gain from using CSAM?
  • Why does watching CSAM feel good?
  • Using CSAM may satisfy sexual needs, what other needs could the use of CSAM fulfil?
  • Are there negative feelings (loneliness, shame, sorrow, insignificance) associated with the use of CSAM, that individuals try to suppress by using CSAM?​