It’s no surprise that child sexual abuse and child pornography are illegal. Criminal trials can occur. But shockingly, lawsuits for victims of child sexual abuse are currently not permitted in the state of Utah.
As a mom, foster parent, family/parenting coach and educator, protecting children and families has always been my top priority. Technology is evolving faster than most families can keep up with, creating ideal conditions for predators to target the most vulnerable among us — our kids.
Digital exploitation has surged, and despite online tools and education efforts, children are being forced to participate in child sexual abuse material (CSAM) at shockingly high levels. As a state lawmaker, I am committed to helping parents protect their kids and will be sponsoring legislation in 2027 to combat the horrible rise of CSAM.
CSAM, along with all forms of extreme pornography (i.e., obscenity), is illegal under federal and state law. It includes any visual depiction of sexual conduct involving a minor. It is illegal to create, sell and distribute CSAM and in Utah, it is illegal to possess it or even intentionally look at it. Yet, major commercial pornographic websites are hosting and profiting from CSAM. This has to stop.
According to a New York Times exposé from 2020: “Google returns 920 million videos on a search for ‘young porn.’ Top hits include a video of a naked ‘very young teen’ engaging in sex acts. … Depictions of child abuse also appear on mainstream sites like Twitter, Reddit and Facebook.”
Of course, the abuse doesn’t stop there. In 2023, Aylo Holdings, Pornhub’s parent company, admitted in federal court that Pornhub had profited off videos depicting sex traffic victims. Accountability for these atrocities extends beyond those who commit the offense. If it is a crime to commit these acts, it must also be a crime to host and distribute the imagery and videos of these offenses.
While CSAM and obscenity are illegal, the amount of reported content continues to climb. According to the Internet Watch Foundation, the United States ranks second largest in webpages hosting CSAM. Closer to home, the National Center on Missing and Exploited Children reported a surge of over 14,600 online tips of child sex abuse material (CSAM) in Utah during 2025. That number increased 76% since 2024.
These are not “frivolous lawsuits” we are talking about here. Nothing related to CSAM and obscenity is “frivolous.” Our children deserve justice.
Even more tragic, an estimated 42% of those who view CSAM anonymously report trying to seek direct contact with children online after viewing it. Offenders hide behind false identities, grooming children through deception and building trust in just a few hours. The harm they inflict is lifelong.
Having raised foster children, I have witnessed the devastating impact of exploitation in their lives. I observed the lack of accountability for offenders while children struggled with severe trauma. Investigation of child exploitation cases might take years before an offender is charged, which means the offender keeps offending. More children are harmed. More lives are traumatized.
For the past two years I have been hard at work in the Utah Legislature, meeting with parents, victims and law enforcement officials to craft legislation that will help protect children from CSAM. This legislation passed the House in 2026 and almost made it through the Senate. In 2027, we will be back.
My bill provides that children who have been victimized by CSAM and obscenity are given an opportunity to sue in state court and seek monetary restitution for damages. With the threat of lawsuits looming over their heads, websites profiting from this material will think twice. Parents will also be empowered to protect their kids. Such legislation has already passed in Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma and South Carolina.
Families must have the ability to recover therapy costs for the trauma their children have suffered. With the alarming rise of CSAM and the rise of pornography addiction among adolescents, more and more families are experiencing this crisis firsthand. These are not “frivolous lawsuits” we are talking about here. Nothing related to CSAM and obscenity is “frivolous.” Our children deserve justice. Law enforcement needs help. And parents must be given effective tools to protect their kids.
As long as I continue to serve in the Utah Legislature, I will be working hard to achieve these goals for our families and communities.
Join with me by helping Utah become the fifth state in the nation to allow CSAM victims to civilly sue their exploiters for damages. As a state we can better protect children from CSAM exploitation and help victims get the help they need to recover from their abuse.