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Let's get this straight: Those who view child pornography and/or sexually abuse children cannot be defined by age, race, religion, socioeconomic standing or any other easy assumption.

Most live what Jessica Farnsworth, commander of Utah Attorney General's Internet Crimes Against Children task force, calls dual lives — and their arrests and exposure likely will be shocking to those who know and trust them.

Last week, Farnsworth and Attorney General Mark Shurtleff spoke about ICAC's latest operation, a grueling, month-long search for men and, in this case, one woman, suspected of abusing children in their lust for sexual gratification and power.

Federal, state and local agents and officers made dozens of arrests and notified 114 people that they're under investigation. They seized computers, hard drives, cell phones, Xbox game consoles and more than 1,000 CDs or DVDs.

These are images that, as Shurtleff said, would make you want to vomit. The victims often are given drugs or alcohol; the abuse is savage. And all the while, most predators cannot comprehend that what they're doing is wrong on every imaginable level.

Many of those under arrest or investigation held positions of trust, Farnsworth said. Even if they did not, their families are devastated.

"We expose what's hiding in the darkness," she said.

Such investigations have been done for years, after the agents and officers — some who worked their regular shifts and met up with the task force afterward — worked 50 to 60 hours a week to track down perpetrators. This year, however, the ICAC enlisted and trained officers from all over the state; investigations were done in 18 of Utah's 29 counties.

Besides the ordinary long hours, everyone involved worked an additional 100 hours during the month-long operation, Farnsworth said.

The newcomers have a learning curve, made all the steeper by the images they must view as part of their work. They're told that the first one will always stay with them.

Farnsworth also tells them, "As time goes on, you'll adjust. If not, let us know, and we'll work with you."

Sadly, what is exposed is just a tiny fraction of the pornography and abuse that happens all over the world. Worse, the porn can be duplicated and re-circulated, leaving the victims to be constantly re-victimized.

So how do we protect our children, when each one is a potential target? Parents need to monitor what their kids are seeing on the computer or cell phones, and install locks if they have to. Talk to children, tell them of the danger, and listen if the child is signaling for help. Lock down your wireless routers.

As a society, we all need to be on the lookout for people who would harm a kid. It's not easy, because the perpetrators can be the guy next door, a teacher, a religious leader. We see it in the news all too often.

"Pedophiles," said Farnsworth, "see every child as a target."

Which is why she and all the men and women who do this soul-searing work have a mantra: Save a child.

Peg McEntee is a news columnist. Reach her at pegmcentee@sltrib.com.