To the Editor:

Re “Child Sex Abuse on the Internet: Stolen Innocence Gone Viral” (“Exploited” series, front page, Sept. 29):

I commend The Times for this explosive and honest depiction of the horrific scourge of child sexual abuse that has found an all too welcoming home on the internet.

It is only in the last few years that we have come to realize how devastating this abuse is to the victims and that survivors have found a voice to come forward. And it is only in the last two decades that law enforcement has somewhat haltingly recognized the need to attempt to deal with this abuse more aggressively. Those of us involved in treating survivors of sexual abuse and trauma realize that there are two factors that are frequently overlooked.

Abusers are extremely adept at grooming not just their victims but also the social environment in which they operate. Few who are not abused can believe that such “nice” people can possibly be guilty of such heinous behaviors. The internet adds to this ability of abusers to hide in plain sight.

Additionally, when an abuser is ultimately reported, something that happens in only a small percentage of cases, parents are reluctant to allow their children to testify against their abuser. This protectiveness by parents further emboldens abusers, who know that even if caught they are not likely to be charged .