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Court rules novel sexually objectifies children
An Australian author has been found guilty of producing child abuse material after writing an erotic novel that portrays a sexual relationship between an adult man and a character who behaves like a child.
Plot and legal arguments
The book, released under the pseudonym Tori Woods, centers on an 18-year-old woman named Lucy and her father's 45-year-old best friend, Arthur. The narrative details Arthur's long-standing sexual attraction to Lucy, which began when she was a child, and includes scenes where she roleplays as a toddler.
Lauren Mastrosa, 34, a marketing executive for a Christian charity, argued in court that Lucy is explicitly identified as an adult in the novel. However, Magistrate Bree Chisholm rejected this defense, stating the book's content would lead a reasonable reader to perceive the character as a child during sexual encounters.
Graphic details and court findings
The novel's cover features pastel pink colors and a title spelled out in children's alphabet blocks. Throughout the story, Lucy speaks in child-like language, wears children's clothing, and engages in behaviors associated with young children.
"Importantly, those descriptions and language are used in the portions of the book to describe a character similar to a young child when the sexual activity is occurring. The reader is left with a description that creates the visual image in one's mind of an adult male engaging in sexual activity with a young child."
Magistrate Bree Chisholm
Distribution and employment fallout
Mastrosa released an advance copy of the novel to 21 readers in March 2025 before police received a complaint about its content. She was subsequently charged with creating, possessing, and distributing child abuse material.
Following her arrest, her employer, BaptistCare, confirmed she had been suspended pending an internal investigation, as reported by the Daily Telegraph.
Next steps
Mastrosa will return to court for sentencing on April 28. The BBC has chosen not to name the novel in its reporting.
