SOME 82 CASES of child pornography linked to the internet are currently under investigation by the Panama’s Sex Crimes office, according to a report from the Public Ministry.

The dangers are increasing as access to the net, now standing at 52.7% continues to expand.
Sex crimes prosecutor Katya Meléndez, told La Prensa that the investigations began after Interpol gave the alert to local authorities .
Interpol, through sophisticated surveillance programs on international websites, detects people connected to child pornography websites from Panama, by digital computer identification.
Melendez said that at present, these criminal acts are occurring more regularly, associated with the number of people connected to the network.
In Panama, last year, there were nearly 2 million people with access to internet connection,
Meléndez, , cannot guarantee that the 82 reported cases are related to a network or group dedicated to child pornography, but it has not been ruled out. The hypothesis is that these people can be connected in chat rooms also handling child pornography.
The Penal Code provides for sentences of between five and 10 years for those who commit the crime of child pornography. Sanctions may increase according to the characteristics of the case.
The number of people currently serving sentences in Panama prisons for the crime is uncertain.
Experts consulted on the subject warn that in Panama, it is perhaps taboo, and the subject is far from debates in the media and rarely appears on the agendas of civil society organizations advocating for health and citizen welfare.
In 2014, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime warned about the rise of child pornography in the world, citing that between 2011 and 2012, there was an increase of 70% in sexual abuse material focused on girls under 10 years and "not uncommon abuse involving very young children and babies."
Prosecutor r Meléndez revealed that her office is also investigating an increase in “grooming” crimes known as cyberstalking.
This is when an adult posing as a minor, contacts a teenager on social networks or internet pages and induces the publication of pornographic material.