More proceedings for sexual harassment of minors
The judiciary in Brandenburg has dealt with significantly more investigations into sexual assault and sexual harassment of minors this year. In total, there have been 247 proceedings to date, according to an answer from the Ministry of Justice to a question from the AfD parliamentary group in the state parliament published on Monday. Last year, a total of 233 investigations into sexual harassment and sexual assault of minors were recorded; in 2017, for example, there were significantly fewer (62).
According to the Ministry of Justice, these criminal offenses were only added to the Criminal Code in November 2016. Public awareness of this specific form of crime is likely to have gradually grown, it said. Increased reporting on sexual offenses against minors in recent years has contributed to raising awareness. According to the ministry, these reasons and the changed legal situation have presumably had a lasting positive effect on the willingness to report crimes and led to the increase in the number of proceedings.
The number of investigations into sexual harassment (Section 184i of the German Criminal Code) is many times higher than the number of cases of sexual assault on minors (Section 177 (1) of the German Criminal Code).
"The rising numbers are frightening and we should not try to relativize them by saying that victims or guardians are more aware and more willing to report them," said AfD MP Birgit Bessin. All sexual offenses must be investigated and consistently punished regardless of the person or nationality of the perpetrator.
The surge in proceedings for sexual harassment of minors, predominantly under Section 184i of the German Criminal Code, highlights the growing concern over justice for crime victims among children and youth. Regardless of the nationality of the perpetrators, it's crucial that all such offenses are thoroughly investigated and sternly penalized.
Source: www.dpa.com
