Court Rules Australian Author's Novel Constitutes Child Sex Abuse Material

A New South Wales (NSW) court has ruled that an erotic romance novel authored by Australian marketing executive Lauren Mastrosa qualifies as child sex abuse material. The book explores a relationship between 18-year-old Lucy and her father's 45-year-old best friend, Arthur. It controversially details Arthur's desires that are said to have begun when Lucy was still a child, even including instances where she roleplays as a toddler.

Initially creating outrage online, Mastrosa argued that Lucy is portrayed as an adult within the story. However, Magistrate Bree Chisholm found that the narrative sexually objectifies children and stated that any claims of the protagonist being 18 did not mitigate the implications of her child-like portrayal.

Chisholm reviewed the entire novel, which was published under the pseudonym Tori Woods. She concluded that, based on a reasonable reader's perspective, the book was undeniably offensive. Throughout the text, Lucy engages in behaviors and employs language that aligns with a younger child's persona while underlining her relationship with an adult male, creating troubling visual imagery of inappropriate sexual interactions.

Mastrosa, who was charged after the book was distributed to readers in March of the previous year, will be sentenced on April 28 after being found guilty of creating, possessing, and distributing child abuse material. Following the charges, her employer, BaptistCare, stated she has been suspended from her role pending further investigation.