Child (and adult) pornography at work as a police officer

I would quit the job

 

Yikes that’s tough. I couldn’t do that job but if nobody does it kids don’t get rescued. Maybe only doing the viewing in a work environment with others around would keep it clearly as part of work and avoid your brain associating it with arousal.

 

You get supervision regarding all aspects of your job. So, what support have you had from colleagues?

 

Are you about to talk to an officer that has experience working something like this?

 

Is it a task you can pass on, maybe offer to do something else instead that your colleagues hate.

I’m a very visual guy and I would be worried too. You cannot unsee the images once you have seen them.

If it is impossible to avoid this duty is there a councelling service you get access to?

 

Thank you for your service!

 

I did a project with the Internet Watch Foundation here in the UK. I wasn't in the analyst team who actually have to look at and categorise the images. That would have done me in. The only advice I can offer from watching how they worked was the normality of it all. They had music playing on the radio, stopped for tea and biscuits, chatted and gossiped, ... if you didn't know what they were doing you would have thought it was just like any other office. So try and keep it relaxed, business-like, matter-of-fact, and mundane and make sure that you get plenty of normal work conversations about real-life, families, etc.

Sorry I cannot help more. Good luck, it is an important and valuable job.

 

I couldn't do it. At some point you may have to refuse.

 

That’s awful. I’m sorry man. I suppose someone has to do it, but I myself could not.

 

I am shocked that they do not care about child porn.

 

It may be best to get transferred to another position... Brief story..... back in 2011 I was fixing computer hardware and software on my friend's laptop and while I was doing so... I saw a brief clip of child porn pop up smh... it wasn't nude but a man was touching a young girl in appropriately.... I immediately called my friend and told him what I saw... he said he got the laptop from a church that gave it to him and who ever downloaded the images had to have been the previous owner who donated the laptop to the church.... I say this story to say.. even that brief image I saw on accident blew my mind and rattled me... imagine what daily exposure on your job would do..... think about a transfer..... hope this helps.....

 

Unfortunately, the work you do is necessary. The difficulty will be in staying honest with yourself. Someday it may affect you. Or, heaven forbid, what if u we're excited by something u saw? Perhaps you should see a therapist about it. This will also serve you if ever you have to go to the union over the issue. It will demonstrate just how opposed to the work you are and the therapies can testify to that should it become necessary.
That's a tough one.
God bless.

 

I agree Kenny.

I think you need to find a new job Mr. Officer, I am not sure if quitting immediately is the right choice. Perhaps find support here and try to find new work. Tough stuff is all I can really tell you.

 

In my humble opinion, i think a good idea is to attend therapy with a sexologist or someone specialized in sexuality. Maybe you can attend a sesion every once in a while, lets say 1 per month. This way if something is being uncormftable or stuck in your head- or whatever happens- you can go talk about it with a profetional. Maybe it works for you, and maybe this is some work that needs to be done: I mean, you can propose psycological counseling as part of the facilities your work need.

Sorry if I dont express myself in a clear way. English is not my native lenguaje, and there are some days when I just cant think in english

 

I understand what you are saying. This is your job. Short of quitting/changing careers, you'll have to face this. Refusing to do the work isn't really an option.

Even if your work doesn't provide counseling support, could you do it on your own? I would recommend it. You say you think most psychologists probably think masturbation/pornography is normal, and unfortunately, there certainly are some that have that attitude. But when you are talking about child pornography, I do not think there would be any who would take the attitude that it is normal. As for finding a counselor who would be open minded enough to talk to you about your concern about seeing any and all porn, whether it's child porn or not, they are out there. I personally have gone to several counselors who did not push the porn/masturbation is normal thing on me at all. A good counselor should not be pushing his or her ideas on their client but working with them based on their needs and beliefs. In addition, it sounds like you may be comfortable with a Christian counselor, which may help you eliminate some, but not all, of the porn/MO is normal attitude.

It's just a matter of asking questions (sometimes you can email or even do a phone call) to find someone who fits your needs. And if you find you haven't ended up with a counselor who is helpful, don't waste time, find someone else. That's the best advice I ever got from the best counselor I ever had. She said, if you don't click with a counselor, find a new one.

Even if you aren't able to do counseling, there are some things you can do to help yourself. Or do these things in addition to counseling. Find what works for you.

1. Find someone you can talk to about this periodically. Someone who listens, doesn't try to fix and who understands. Maybe you can find someone here at nofap. Maybe someone you know in real life. Maybe a pastor.

2. Perhaps you can use the information in this article to help you stop thinking about the things you've seen at work. I've heard it described as, notice the feeling and then let it go, like a red helium balloon.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/negative-emotions-key-well-being/

3. A technique helped me once, when I read a description of porn that really upset me and stuck in my head. @ChangeMattersToMe told me, "You can't unsee or unthink those things, but you can use exactly the same techniques we porn-addicts use. The knowledge has no power over you, you empower the knowledge, and you have the power to starve it off as well."

And he gave me this link. https://www.yourbrainonporn.com/fast-phobia-cure (PS I spent less time viewing the images in my head, as described in the link, and more time making the image silly. It worked for me and I got past it.)

4. Consider taking up meditation. To help you relax and let go of the stress of work. There are books, articles online and even apps that can help.

 

First of all, what you're doing is amazing.

I mean the fact that you catch all those nasty people involved in nasty practices like the ones you mentioned.

So please do not feel like you are doing something bad/disgusting. You are doing a great service to all of humanity.

It's up to you whether you want to wait he job or not, but I would suggest that you look at it as a hero's task, because that's what it is.

Don't focus on the pornography or whatever. Focus on how you're going to eliminate those people involved.

Good luck to you sir! I hope you have an awesome 2018!

 

Hello friend! I saw you`re trying a meaningful job which seems harmful to you.
I think a purification effort is necessary for you to take this job.
Hope to hearing good news from you.