Enlightenment instead of punishment: Faeser wants to relax sexual criminal law again

According to Interior Minister Faeser, the sexual offenses law that was tightened two years ago to protect children is not effective. Many young people themselves were targeted by the investigators.

Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser wants to loosen sex crimes again. She told the Funke media group that the tightening measures introduced two years ago to protect children are missing their target. It is about possession and sharing of child pornography content. Since 2021, a minimum sentence of one year in prison has applied.

“Sexting” among young people has consequences

The problem: young people themselves are targeted by the investigative authorities if they share naked pictures and videos with each other during so-called “sexting”. If children under the age of 14 record themselves having sex or masturbating, the recordings are considered child pornography. When you turn 14 and reach the age of criminal responsibility, possession then becomes a crime. The young people were threatened with severe penalties, said Faeser.

She would rather explain the risks and make young people aware of not sharing the most private things. In addition, the investigative authorities would be relieved by relaxing criminal law and could take care of the really bad deeds, according to the SPD politician.