Brussels seeking tougher penalties for human trafficking, sex crimes

The European Commission wants tougher sanctions against criminals found guilty of being involved in human trafficking and sexual exploitation, particularly of children.

The EU Executive said fresh proposals would guarantee full alignment with the highest European standards, provide better assistance for victims and ensure tougher action against criminals dealing in child sexual abuse and trafficking.

Submitting two draft proposals for member states' consideration, the Commission said these would also deal with the rapidly changing technologies in cyberspace.

On human trafficking, Brussels was suggesting the approximation of national legislations and penalties, making sure offenders were brought to justice even if they committed crimes abroad.

The new rules will allow police to use phone tapping, eavesdropping and other similar tools to fight organised crime. Victims will receive accommodation and medical care and, if necessary, police protection to help them recover from their plight and ease their fear to testify against perpetrators.

Victims will also be protected from further trauma during criminal proceedings, which usually arises from probing questions, for example on their experience related to forced sexual exploitation.

Brussels was proposing that victims should receive free legal aid throughout the proceedings and for the purpose of claiming financial compensation. The proposal encourages sanctions against clients of those forced to offer sexual services and against employers exploiting trafficked people.

On sexual exploitation, the Commission's proposals make it easier to punish child abusers by providing criminal sanctions for new forms of abuse like grooming - luring children through internet and abusing them, viewing child pornography without downloading files or making children pose sexually in front of webcams.

Additionally, the proposed rules ensure that "sex tourists" travelling abroad to abuse children would face prosecution on their return home.

Young victims will be provided with a lawyer for free and will be able to testify without having to face the offender at court, sparing them from additional trauma.

Every offender should be assessed individually and have access to tailor-made treatment. Prohibitions preventing offenders from coming into contact with children should be effective not just in the country where they were convicted but across the EU. Systems to block access to websites containing child pornography will also be developed.

Presenting the proposals, Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot said that the EU's message was loud and clear. "These forms of criminality do not stop at borders and are unacceptable. The EU will continue to set the highest and most ambitious standards to combat them," he said.

According to the International Labour Organisation, 1.2 million people around the world are victims of human trafficking, most of them being forced into prostitution (43 per cent) or forced labour (32 per cent).

When it comes to sexual abuse, the vast majority of victims (98 per cent) were women and young girls.

Around half a million people fell victim to human trafficking every year in the EU, either within the EU itself or being shipped into the EU.

A huge number of children (between 10 to 20 per cent) were victims of sexual violence during childhood. Estimates suggest that about 20 per cent of convicted paedophiles were incurable.