Forty-one percent of teenage girls in the Czech Republic have been sent pornographic images by men online, and around half have been sent inappropriate messages over social media like Skype or Facebook. Even more worryingly, a fifth of them would consider meeting up with these men in the "real world", though the picture behind that statistic is more complex than it seems. Two Czech documentary makers have arranged a set-up not unlike a hidden camera show as seen on television, where they have recruited three twentysomething actresses who are able to look younger - specifically twelve years old - and pose as innocents for their experiment.
That experiment arrives with some caveats. Many would say they would not wish to watch a documentary about child abuse online, much less one which gave such heavy focus to the criminals, while others would claim the problems were exaggerated and it is merely increased media exposure that makes it appear worse than it is. While the former would be understandable in their reluctance to see women being abused, especially women made up to look twelve (and mentioning it in every conversation with these men), the latter can uncomfortably and accurately be said to be contributing to the issue, and not in a preventative manner, either.
Within minutes of the directors and their team putting fake profiles online on popular social media sites, they are already inundated with chat requests from older men, many far older, not boys (or girls) of the actresses' claimed ages. And when they engage with these men, they waste no time in asking personal questions of a sexual nature, and an alarming number cut to the chase and begin masturbating to their images. These men have no qualms about sending pictures and videos of their erect penises either, something they get off on, and a section of them send pornography, including involving children. Then, if that doesn't satisfy them, they request naked pictures of the women.
Now, before you decry all this as entrapment, the trio were under strict instruction never to instigate any sexual matters, and always to point out their supposed age of twelve, so these predators are under no illusions. It just gets worse from there: one of the researchers recognises one of the criminals as a man who works with children and organises summer camps for them. His comeuppance at the end may be all he deserves (well, some of what he deserves), but how these exploiters justify their use of technology to spread abuse is nothing short of revolting, never mind maddening that this is only one small country's representatives we are seeing, and the actual number of social media predators is far, far higher, resorting to blackmail to get their way with their victims.
In truth, most of these users seem to be content to use the girls to achieve orgasm and leave it at that, but the documentary goes further and sets up meetings between the actresses (with hidden recording and security standing by) to see what would happen. It ain't pretty, with the manipulators showing up believing they can get sex with a twelve-year-old out of this arrangement, and there's even one man who brings his girlfriend along to persuade the victim to have a "threesome". Needless to say, within five minutes of this film starting your faith in humanity has eroded to the point where you wonder if you'll be able to look any man in the eye again. Not that every male does this, but seeing how many participated unwittingly in showing how many scum are around online - thousands of them within days - is not a pleasant experience. If you think this film would be too much for you, that's excusable, but try and read reviews or go onto child charity websites to get the broader idea of what is happening here. Though you leave this film feeling there's very little hope any child, girl or boy, is truly safe on the internet.
[Caught In The Net will be available on Digital Download from 7th February 2022.]
