VOA慢速英语2014--日本将拥有儿童色情材料为非法

 

AS IT IS 2014-07-15 Japan Outlaws¹ Owning Child Pornography 日本将拥有儿童色情材料为非法

The International Center for Missing and Exploited Children says 99 countries in the world still do not make possession of material showing children in sexual activities a crime.

But now, Japan’s parliament has changed that number.

Japanese lawmakers have approved a measure that makes possessing such material a crime.  The move comes after many years of international pressure.

Some content may be disquieting². 

Pornography – often called porn -- is described as printed or visual material showing sexual activities.  Child pornography is pornography showing children during these acts.

Under a new Japanese law, people found guilty of possessing child pornography will be jailed for up to one year.  Or, they will face financial punishment of about $10,000.

Until the law passed, Japan had been the only remaining major developed country that had not banned possession of child porn.  It outlawed³ production and distribution of such material in 1999.  But making possession a crime took much longer.    

And nobody knows that better than a man named Ernie Allen.    

Mr. Allen is president and chief executive officer of the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  He says his agency worked with Japanese officials for years to bring about this new law.

“Ninety-nine still don’t criminalize possession.  And they are overwhelmingly countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.  All of Europe now criminalizes possession of child pornography.  All of North America (criminalizes possession.)  … And we hope that Japan will now be viewed as a leader in this area and can help influence other governments, other parliaments to take action.”

Japan did take longer than other countries with similar economies to make reforms.  But Mr. Allen says he hopes Japan will cause further changes around the planet, especially in Asia and Latin America.  

Mr. Allen names what he calls “significant countries” that still do not criminalize owning child pornography such as China, Russia and Argentina.

He explains how his agency has seen the child porn problem explode, or grow very quickly, around the world. 

In 2002, the Center for Missing and Exploited Children started a Child Victim Identification Program.  They asked law enforcement agencies from around the world to send images they received of exploited children.              

“(In) 2002 there were 50,000 images.  By 2005 the Center had received 1.9 million images.  Last year alone the Center received and reviewed (considered) 22 million images and video. That’s how much this problem has exploded around the world because of the advent⁴ of the Internet.”

The high numbers can be disturbing.  But Mr. Allen says there is also a big increase in the number of countries who have enacted⁵ child porn laws or elements of such laws. 

The new law in Japan is expected to take effect next month.  However, punishment for owning child pornography will not be enforced for a year.  The reason:  Japan says it hopes that many people will dispose of the material on their own.

1 outlaws   

歹徒，亡命之徒( outlaw的名词复数 )； 逃犯

参考例句：

• During his year in the forest, Robin met many other outlaws. 在森林里的一年，罗宾遇见其他许多绿林大盗。
• I didn't have to leave the country or fight outlaws. 我不必离开自己的国家，也不必与不法分子斗争。

2 disquieting   

adj.令人不安的，令人不平静的v.使不安，使忧虑，使烦恼( disquiet的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The news from the African front was disquieting in the extreme. 非洲前线的消息极其令人不安。 来自英汉文学
• That locality was always vaguely disquieting, even in the broad glare of afternoon. 那一带地方一向隐隐约约使人感到心神不安甚至在下午耀眼的阳光里也一样。 来自辞典例句

3 outlawed   

宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。
• I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。

4 advent   

n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临

参考例句：

• Swallows come by groups at the advent of spring. 春天来临时燕子成群飞来。
• The advent of the Euro will redefine Europe.欧元的出现将重新定义欧洲。

5 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹