Germany’s Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Karin Prien, has underscored the urgent need to protect children and adolescents from sexual violence, describing it as “one of the most pressing tasks of our time.
Speaking ahead of the presentation of the Federal Situation Report on Sexual Offences Against Children and Adolescents 2024, Minister Prien highlighted the constant risk faced by young people. She noted that rapid digital developments are creating new avenues for exploitation, ranging from online grooming and sextortion to the misuse of deepfake technology in chats and on social media platforms.
Prien emphasized that the dangers are not limited to the digital realm, pointing out that sexual violence also occurs within familiar settings-among relatives, neighbours, or other trusted individuals. She stressed that safeguarding children and adolescents is a collective responsibility, requiring efforts to protect them from those who seek to manipulate and exploit them online, as well as those who abuse their trust within close relationships.
Last year’s presentation of the report revealed an increase in reported sexual offences against children and adolescents, a trend authorities are closely monitoring.