Text as at 26 April 2026

This provision has not been checked by a human. The text below was read automatically from the official PDF and has not yet been verified against it, so it may differ from the provision as published — in its wording, its numbering, or where one provision ends and the next begins. For the authorised text, see legislation.vic.gov.au.

51H Accessing child abuse material

(1)A person (A) commits an offence if—

(a)A intentionally accesses material; and

(b)the material is child abuse material; and

(c)A knows that the material is, or probably is, child abuse material.

(2)A person who commits an offence against subsection (1) is liable to level 5 imprisonment (10 years maximum).

(3)For the purposes of subsection (1), the ways in which A accesses material may include—

(a)viewing material; or

(b)displaying material by an electronic medium or any other output of the material by an electronic medium.

1Exceptions apply to this offence—see sections 51J, 51K and 51M.

2Defences apply to this offence—see sections 51L, 51N, 51O, 51P, 51Q and 51R.

3A mistaken but honest and reasonable belief that reasonable persons would not regard the child abuse material as offensive is not a defence to this offence—see section 51U.