The South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC) approved the publication of its discussion paper on sexual offenses (pornography and children) and an accompanying draft bill for comment.

The discussion paper seeks to review the legislative framework that currently applies to children in respect of exposure to pornography and child sexual abuse material (the Commission’s preferred term for child pornography) within the larger framework of all statutory and common law sexual offences.

Five main topics are discussed in this paper, namely:

-Access to or exposure of a child to pornography;

-Creation and distribution of child sexual abuse material;

-Consensual self-child sexual abuse material (sexting);

-Grooming of a child and other sexual contact crimes associated with or facilitated by pornography or child sexual abuse material; and

-Investigation, procedure & sentencing.

Comments can be submitted no later than Tuesday, 30 July 2019.