New EU proposals against Child Sex Abuse
The European Commission has set out plans to tighten
EU law
to protect children from online abuse. Announced by European Commission Vice
President Jacques Barrot in charge of Justice, Freedom and Security, the
proposals are aimed at replacing two existing legislations which took effect in
2004 and 2002 respectively
Vice President Barrot said: "We want to build an EU
that is truly able to protect the most vulnerable citizens against the most
terrible crimes. When we say trafficking in human beings we are talking about
women and girls reduced to sexual slavery, children beaten and mistreated,
forced to beg and to steal, young adults compelled to work in appalling
conditions for hunger wages. When we speak about child sexual abuse and sexual
exploitation, we are speaking about horrendous crimes against children that
leave deep scars and suffering for their whole lives."
The proposals, which have yet to be adopted by the 27 member
states, would unify approaches to online grooming and the viewing of child
pornography across the EU. So called "Sex tourists" from EU states who abused
children outside the EU would also face prosecution on their return home and
would include new EU rules to curb people-trafficking. Currently under UK law, British nationals who commit sex
offences against children abroad can already be prosecuted in the UK, even if
their actions were legal in the country they visited.
Under the new proposals on child sexual abuse, offenders
will be imprisoned for at least six years instead of one year at present.
Offenses in aggravating circumstances will get 10 years instead of five years.
Sexual abuses that may endanger the life of children will get 12-year sentences.
The proposal will also remove the time limit within which child
sexual abuse offenses must be denounced, making prosecution easier and those
convicted will have their offenses in their criminal records so that they will
not be able to find jobs involving direct contacts with children, even in other
EU member states.
The commission says that in 2008 more than 1,000 commercial
and about 500 non-commercial websites depicting child sex abuse were found -
71% of them in the US
and the majority of the non-commercial sites
were peer-to-peer services. CEOP will lead the work of the European Financial
Coalition said that up to 300 commercial child abuse websites were available at
any one time and earnt well in excess of €30m (£26.8m) a year. CEOP processed
1.6m images in the past year alone and identified and rescued 50 children.
If adopted, the new proposals would mean free legal services
for victims of abuse and authorities in the EU could bring people traffickers
and "sex tourists" to justice even if they committed their crimes outside the
EU.
The proposals will be discussed in the EU Council of
Ministers and will be translated into national legislations once approved.
"Our message is clear...Europe
will continue to set the highest and most ambitious standards in fighting
them," Barrot said.