Journalist warns of Internet predators

A New York Times writer helped one teen escape abuse and now carries his message to parents.

By LAURIE AU
July 31, 2006

The Kansas City Star

When New York Times reporter Kurt Eichenwald met Justin Berry, a sexually and emotionally abused 18-year-old who ran a child pornography Web site, he had two choices.

Eichenwald could act as a detached journalist, writing his story and sending Berry on his way. Or he could help dozens of other teens in Berry’s position by persuading him to go to federal officials.

There was no debate for Eichenwald. He knew that Berry would end up dead or in jail.

It took Berry only 10 minutes to agree to go to authorities.

At a luncheon Thursday in the Jack Reardon Convention Center in Kansas City, Kan., Eichenwald will speak about the world of secrecy and anonymity of the Internet, where children are prey for online predators.

The award luncheon is sponsored by Sunflower House, a nonprofit child-abuse prevention center and child advocacy center. “I talked to a lot of these kids, and I spent a lot of time with Justin,” Eichenwald said.

“I have never seen someone so emotionally and psychologically destroyed. It was really, really horrifying to realize these weren’t impoverished or bad kids. These were a lot of typical kids that could be so easily chewed up and spat out.”

Since they met two years ago, Eichenwald and Berry have appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and “Good Morning America,” sharing Berry’s story and warning others.

“People have to understand that we live in a new world,” Eichenwald said.

“And in this new world, kids are in danger. You have a class of adults that virtually live online. They spend their days hunting for children and for children’s images. It seems to be an insatiable appetite.”

Berry, of California, ran a child pornography business that began when he was 13. It started out innocently when he got a webcam, hoping to meet other lonely teens.

Men began offering him money, first to take off his shirt, then to perform sexual acts. They paid him using credit cards and bought him gifts as incentives to keep the business going.

After about five years, Berry found himself trapped, a drug addict slowly wasting away.

Eichenwald said that since his report ran in The New York Times in December 2005, many self-generated child pornography sites have shut down, most of them within a week.

Many of the teenagers who were sexually abused and trapped in this world, like Berry, were unable to do business.

But that does not mean the predators are gone or that other businesses won’t pop up, Eichenwald warned.

For example, he said, many pedophiles have turned to YouTube.com, where anyone can post videos online.

Although YouTube moderators usually are quick to take down these videos, pedophiles are even quicker at spreading the word, Eichenwald said.

Everyone should know about this world, Eichenwald said. Berry recently turned 20 and is getting treatment.

The reporter in Eichenwald wanted to expose Internet child pornography so that these businesses don’t go on any further. But the person in Eichenwald also wants to reach out to parents to keep their children safe.

“Anything I can do to make sure this nightmare stays shut, I will do,” Eichenwald said. “This is something I care very much about.”

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