The victim assistance association Weiber Ring calls for stronger protection for children. A simple change in criminal law would not be enough. The organization calls for more personnel in the judiciary and police, as well as a state central office for the welfare of children.
After the abuse cases in Munster, the victims' aid association Weiber Ring is calling for more protection for children: "A preventive effect usually does not come from higher threats of punishment," said the federal chairman of the Weiber Ring, Jorg Ziercke, to the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (Saturday).
"Therefore, politics must devote much more attention to the prevention of child abuse".
More personnel
Concrete measures would be necessary to reinforce the judiciary and police at the state level. "Politicians would have to set up a state central office for child welfare in every federal state," Ziercke suggests. "There, psychologically trained personnel should receive information about child endangerment, and a team of health department staff, pediatricians, therapy experts, prosecutors and criminal investigators should evaluate that information."
The former BKA chief also sees a need to catch up in youth welfare offices and daycare centers. "We need better trained staff," said Ziercke. "And we need to create a greater incentive for these people to work professionally in these institutions through better pay."
Facebook and Co in the obligation take
The White Ring also calls for operators of social networks on the Internet to be obliged to report findings of child abuse to the police. "The White Ring looks very critically at developments on the Internet, where lawless spaces seem to be developing in many places," Ziercke said.
Background for the current discussion are cases of serious sexual abuse of several children in Munster, which became known over the weekend. The 27-year-old main suspect had two previous convictions for possession of child pornography – but only on probation. On Friday, the Federal Ministry of Justice announced it would swiftly present a draft law on higher penalties for abusers.