Process against Dortmund: severe case of child abuse begins
Process against Dortmund: severe case of child abuse begins
On January 10, 2025, the trial against a 53-year-old man began at the Dortmund district court. He is accused of sexually abusing the eleven -year -old daughter of his former partner in at least nine cases. According to the information from Radio 912 accuses the defendant to have had sexual violence on the child for the first time in March 2020. At that time, the family still lived in a shared apartment in the eastern city center of Dortmund.
The last attack is said to have taken place in May 2023. In the meantime, the girl's mother has separated from the accused and the allegations are now the subject of criminal proceedings. A judgment in this case is expected at the end of February 2025 at the earliest. If the accused does not make a confession, the girl will have to testify as a witness.
a worrying increase in sexual offenses
It is particularly alarming that 18,497 children under the age of 14 became victims of sexual abuse, which corresponds to an increase of 7.7 % compared to the previous year. Over 50 % of cases had a preliminary relationship between the victims and the suspects, often family members, friends or acquaintances.
The role of the Internet and new criminal offenses
The review of the number of cases not only shows an increase in sexual abuse, but also in child and youth pornographic content. In 2023, 45,191 cases of this type were registered, which corresponds to an increase of 7.4 %. It is particularly striking that the number of cases for child pornographic content has more than tripled since 2019. The importance of the Internet as a means of acting has increased significantly due to a criminal law reform in 2021. New criminal offenses such as cybergrooming and Live Distance Child Abuse were introduced to meet this problem,
These developments underline urgency to strengthen measures to combat sexual violence against children. The Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser has emphasized that 54 children and adolescents are victims of sexual abuse in Germany every day. The case in Dortmund exemplifies a problematic social phenomenon that not only requires legal but also social and preventive solutions.
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