Criminality - Less child and youth abuse in Saxony
Against the nationwide trend, the number of reported cases of child sexual abuse in Saxony in 2023 has decreased. The police recorded 722 cases, a decrease of nearly 9% compared to the previous year, according to the Criminal Statistics 2023 of the State Criminal Police Office Saxony (LAK). Most of the victims were girls (607 out of 807). The police identified 617 suspects, of whom 60 were under 14 years old and 120 were between 14 and 18 years old.
Additionally, there were 46 cases of sexual abuse of adolescents. That was 9 fewer cases than in 2022. The proportion of female victims was also higher in this category (36 out of 48). The number of cases involving child pornography decreased by 6.6% to around 1,900 cases.
Cases nationwide have increased
However, the number of reported cases has increased nationwide, as stated in the Federal Situation Report on Sexual Offenses against Children and Adolescents 2023, which was presented last Monday. There was an increase of 5.5% to 16,375 cases of child sexual abuse, an increase of 5.7% to 1,200 cases of adolescent sexual abuse. The number of cases involving child pornographic content decreased by 7.4% to around 45,000 cases. The number of sexual offenses with underage victims has increased according to the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) in the past five years more than threefold.
The police recorded the most cases of child sexual abuse (5,065) and adolescent sexual abuse (400) in North Rhine-Westphalia. In general, the majority of cases fall in the populous states with large urban areas, according to the situation report.
The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) states in the situation report that there is a large hidden area, so the actual number of cases may be much higher. The number of reported cases of child sexual abuse also depends on police control activities and reporting behavior. "Therefore, it is also possible that, due to increased police activity in the crime area in recent years, there has been a clarification of the dark field," it says further in the situation report.
In contrast to the national rise, the police in Dresden, Saxony, observed a decrease in reported cases of child sexual abuse, with a 9% drop from the previous year. Despite this decline, the issue of criminality related to child sexual abuse remains a concern, as the police identified 617 suspects, including 120 between the ages of 14 and 18. It's crucial to emphasize the importance of education and awareness to discourage the misuse of power and safeguard the rights of children.
