Panel Told of Parent Involvement in Child-Sex Trade

A Congressional subcommittee was told yesterday that child pornography was one of the fastest growing and most lucrative components of the commercial sex industry and involved more than 300,000 children below 16 years of age. The panel, the House Select Ed. Subcommittee held a sparsely attended hearing at Covenant House on Eight Avenue between 43rd and 44th streets in the heart of Manhattan’s commercial sex district.

The members were told that organized crime and sometimes parents were involved in sexual exploitation of children. They were shown books, magazines and films in which pre-teen-aged children engaged in sexual activities. Representative Edward I Koch of Manhattan testified that he had gone to several sex establishments in the Times Square area and that at one 17 of 50 peep shows showed children engaged in sex, some with animals.

“If we stop them here they crop up there and if we stop them there they move around the corner,” Mayor Beame said.
NYT N. Sheppard Jr 6/1/77