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Lolicon, or Rorikon (ロリコン) is a Japanese abbreviation of Lolita complex, which means paedophilia in Japan. Strictly speaking, Lolita complex in Japanese refers only to the condition, but the abbreviation lolicon can refer to pedophiles. In the Western world, the term lolicon refers to sexual anime-style artwork portraying underage characters, often produced in Japan.

Lolicon art usually involves female characters between the apparent ages of 8 and 13. Illustrated lolicon is legal in Japan, but actual child pornography was outlawed in 2000, and lolicon manga drawing from actual underage models is illegal.

Lolicon art is a frequent subject of scholarly articles on sexuality in Japan, and is often suggested to exist in Japan for the same reasons that adult women in high-school uniforms are considered attractive, and enjo kosai is popular. In many general bookstores and newsstands in Japan, drawn lolicon media is freely available for browsing and purchase, with only the limitations that apply to all pornographic media.

Etymology

"Lolita Complex" is abbreviated as "lolicon" rather than "lolicom" due to the phonology of Japanese. Other foreign words with syllables ending in "m" are often transliterated in the same manner. The other Japanese spelling of the word is "rorikon."

In its original meaning in Japan, the term "lolicon" is not directly connected to the art. "Loli" denotes any sexual imagery featuring young girls and children, not only manga, but also actual photographs of child models ("Loli photobooks") and videos. "Lolicon" can also refer to people who are sexually attracted to fictional or real underage girls and is thus synonymous to paedophile.

The meaning of "lolicon" has changed in the West (similarly to words like anime, otaku and hentai). In this case, the word "lolicon" refers to a type of hentai anime and manga that contain sexual/erotic representations of underage girls.

Subgenres

Toddlerkon is another Western term; it is essentially lolicon that depicts girls younger than those in a typical lolicon manga/drawing, typically infants and toddlers (hence the term "toddlerkon"). Because many aficionados of lolicon find it distasteful and offensive, this subgenre was created in an attempt to distinguish it from ordinary manga/drawings that focus on older prepubescents.

Cub art, In the furry fandom, is anthropomorphic pornography portraying the young of many species of animal. This particular genre is generally marginalized by the fans of mainstream pornographic artwork, even more so than lolicon or shotacon.

Controversy

An attraction towards illustrated and fictional lolicon characters is frequently accused of being similar to or a form of paedophilia, particularly by Westerners. Defenders of lolicon say that fictional material does not adversely affect children, and may in some cases help to relieve the sexual tension of actual paedophiles; opponents often say that the existence of fictional material encourages the viewing of children as sex objects or can incite actual sexual abuse. Despite the fact that most lolicon artwork is produced in Japan, there is no evidence that it has caused an increase of violent crimes against children and teens. Crime against children in Japan, as well as violent crime in general, is well below that of most other developed countries.

Legal issues

Images can be created which convincingly appear to involve actual under-age persons, but in fact do not. Originally this was done with adult actors who were disguised or could "pass" as minors. As digital animation technology has progressed, it has become possible to generate convincing simulations of child actors.

Proponents of prohibiting such materials argue that they might encourage child molesters and, when shown to a child, may give the child the impression that the depicted acts are normal (the term grooming is used in this connection); prohibition of possession could help prevent it being shown to a child. Also, the legality of simulated child pornography could make the prosecution of actual child pornography more difficult. Opponents of the prohibition claim that simulated child pornography does not harm children and should therefore fall under the (United States) First Amendment guarantee of freedom of the press.

Status in U.S.

The United States Supreme Court decided in 2002, and affirmed in 2004, that previous American prohibition of simulated child pornography under the Child Pornography Prevention Act was unconstitutional. The majority ruling stated that "the CPPA prohibits speech that records no crime and creates no victims by its production. Virtual child pornography is not 'intrinsically related' to the sexual abuse of children." The PROTECT Act of 2003 (also dubbed the Amber Alert Law), which was signed into law by President George W. Bush on 30 April 2003, also criminalizes simulated child pornography, and in December 2005 there was a conviction under this law. The PROTECT Act's provisions regarding simulated child pornography have not been tried in the Supreme Court.

Status in UK

UK law has dealt with simulated images quite differently since 1994, when the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act introduced the legal definition of an "indecent pseudo-photograph of a child", which is prohibited as if it were a true photograph. The Act however doesn't seem to include works of art such as manga if they do not appear to look like a photograph.

Status in Netherlands

On October 1, 2002, the Netherlands introduced legislation (Bulletin of Acts and Decrees 470) which deemed "virtual child pornography" as illegal. The laws appear to only outlaw "realistic images representing a minor engaged in a sexually explicit conduct," and hence lolicon may or may not be included.

Status in Germany

German law does not discriminate between actual or "realistic" sexual depictions of children.

Status in Canada

Section 163.1 of the Canadian Criminal Code outlaws pornographic images which depict the subject as being under the age of 18.

In October 2005, Canadian courts sentenced an Edmonton, Alberta man to one year of community service for importing manga depicting child sex, possibly the first such case in Canada. It should be noted, however, that the man was on probation for possession of actual child pornography, resulting in his arrest.

Status in South Africa

With the promulgation of the "Films and Publications Amendment Bill" in September 2003, a broad range of simulated child pornography became illegal in South Africa. For the purposes of the act, any image or description of a person "real or simulated" who is depicted or described as being under the age of 18 years and engaged in sexual conduct, broadly defined, constitutes 'child pornography'. Under the act, anyone is guilty of an offence punishable by up to ten years imprisonment if he or she possesses, creates or produces, imports, exports, broadcasts, or in any way takes steps to procure or access child pornography. Additionally, the act applies extra-territorially since any permanent resident of the country who commits an offence under the act anywhere in the world can be prosecuted under it.

See also

• Contrasts
  • Coppertone girl, illustrates state of mind and context make a difference.

• Similar concepts
  • Moé
  • Shotacon, the male equivalent of lolicon.
  • Hentai, another term with a different Western meaning.

• Legal aspects
  • Legal status of internet pornography
  • Child pornography

Footnotes

1. The Beat (8 March 2005). Retrieved January 20, 2006.
2. President Signs PROTECT Act: President's Remarks Upon Signing of S. 151, the Protect Act (30 April 2003). Retrieved January 28, 2006.
3. "Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition". 12 January. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
4. "Bush signs child protection bill". May 1, 2003.
5. "Richmond man first convicted under expanded child-porn law". 12 January. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
6. Justitie (1 October 2002). Retrieved January 20, 2006.
7. Draft Convention on Cyber-crime (25 April 2000). Retrieved January 20, 2006.
8. Interpol (8 Jan 2003). Retrieved January 20, 2006.
9. Anime News Network (20 October 2005). Retrieved January 20, 2006.
10. "Films and Publications Amendment Bill of 2003 (104kb pdf file)" (PDF). 14 January. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)

External links

• "Virtual child" pornography on the Internet: a "virtual" victim?

• News Articles
  • Does comic relief hurt kids? - Japan Times (April 27 2004)

• Imageboards (These links contain lolicon pictures.)
  • renchan.org
  • not4chan.org
  • Kkaionline

• Japanese sex terms
• Anime and manga terminology
• Sexuality and age