Pornography offenses soar among minors in Switzerland
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KEYSTONE
Crimes involving the distribution of child pornography are on the rise among minors in Switzerland.
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RTS/swissinfo.ch/
The number of pornography-related offenses involving minors, such as sending a “nude” photo, has increased twelvefold in ten years, according to Swiss public broadcaster RTS.
In Switzerland, 83 minors were reported to the police in 2012, compared with 1,024 in 2022. French-speaking Switzerland, documented 10 incidents in 2012, compared to 240 cases in 2022. The 10-14 age group accounts for the highest number of reports of pornography.
Recently, in canton Valais, a 12-year-old boy was arrested at his parents’ home for posting pornographic photos on WhatsApp. It only takes a few clicks to commit a crime. For example, sending a nude photo of oneself is considered a criminal offense in Switzerland.
Separate offenses
Minors who create and distribute pornographic content commit two offenses. Pascal Fontaine, chief crime prevention officer for the canton of Vaud, explains that posing nude is tantamount to being a “creator” and sharing the image to being a “distributor”.
“They [minors] are comitting two offenses”, he pointed out in La Matinale programme on RTS. This usually comes as a suprise to minors. That’s why police and schools are working on prevention, not just to talk about the risk of being a victim, but also a perpetrator.
Sentences are set on a case-by-case basis. The juvenile court in canton Jura gives priority to prevention. In practice, however, personal service sentences (community service or participation in awareness-raising sessions) and custodial sentences have already been handed down.
The canton of Zurich has also stepped up its interventions. It is increasingly arresting minors when they are reported for pornography. Criminal responsibility begins very early, at the age of ten.
Experts cite several reasons for the rise in cases. These include increased reporting by social media platforms, ignoring that sending a nude breaks the law, the immediacy of social networks that allow content to be transferred quickly, misplaced trust between teens and peer pressure.
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