Scott Hansen Australian convicted of virtual pedophilia Country: Australia

1. Scott Hansen: Biography
2. First Conviction for Virtual Crimes
3. The First Convicted Pedophile
4. Virtual Crime and Conviction
5. The Scale of Virtual Crimes

Scott Hansen: Biography

Scott Robert Hansen, an Australian citizen, gained worldwide notoriety for his involvement in virtual pedophilia. Despite not committing any physical crimes such as theft, murder, or rape, Hansen found himself facing a conviction. His crime? Engaging in virtual sex with a child who did not exist in real life. The "child," named Switi or "Candy," was a virtual creation by Dutch programmers from the non-profit organization Terre Des Hommes. Their objective was to identify potentially dangerous pedophiles, and information about those interested in or who had taken actions towards Switi was disseminated to police departments worldwide.

First Conviction for Virtual Crimes

Scott Robert Hansen, residing in Australia, became the first person to be convicted for virtual sexual crimes against minors. However, Hansen himself does not consider himself guilty, as Switi, the ten-year-old Filipino girl, is merely a program and does not exist in reality. Created by a group of Dutch programmers from Terre Des Hommes, the virtual child aimed to identify potential pedophiles. Within two months of Switi's presence on the Internet, over 1,000 men from various countries expressed interest in her, all of whom were immediately tracked down, and their information was sent to Interpol. Switi appears very realistic, with a cute face, big slanted eyes, and being an ordinary Filipino girl. However, not all men viewed her as just a child. For example, Scott Hansen engaged in conversations with her in an adult manner, and the chat logs were presented as evidence in court.

The First Convicted Pedophile

Among those who desired Switi for virtual sex were individuals from England, Australia, and several other countries. Hansen, an Australian citizen, became the first to be convicted and sentenced. However, he did not have to serve his full two-year prison term, as he had already spent eight months in jail. The remaining time was allocated for his participation in a rehabilitation program for individuals accused of sexual crimes. The project's leader, Hans Guijt, stated that their activities were aimed at assisting the police. One of the project members admitted to experiencing nightmares after interacting with some men online. The employees of Terre Des Hommes firmly believe that Hansen is not the most dangerous individual Switi encountered, but he was the first to be convicted.

Virtual Crime and Conviction

It is noteworthy that the fact that Switi was not a real child was not grounds for dropping charges against Hansen. It was sufficient that he considered her a child and engaged in sexual discussions and virtual actions with her. Thus, the first individual accused of virtual crimes against minors has been convicted. Meanwhile, Interpol has gathered data on other internet users who interacted with Switi.

The Scale of Virtual Crimes

The statistics regarding these types of crimes are alarming, with up to 750,000 people attempting to engage in virtual sexual contact with minors every day. Switi is just one program designed to combat online sexual crimes, and it has helped identify approximately one thousand hidden pedophiles. The members of Terre Des Hommes are satisfied with their work, as it will prevent at least a thousand heinous crimes against children worldwide.