Brussels steps up fight against sex related crime

The EU is proposing harder rules to fight child pornography, sex tourism and human trafficking.

According to the proposals, befriending children on the internet with the intention of sexually abusing them - a practice known as grooming - and consulting child pornography material even if not downloading files would become a crime.

EU citizens caught sexually abusing children and trafficking in human beings, even if outside members states, will be severely punished under harmonised criminal penalties across the EU.

Child victims would be shielded from the added trauma of police interviews or having to be exposed in front of a public court. They would also have free assistance by a lawyer.

"Everyone expects the EU to act against these crimes that cross national borders," EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said when launching the new proposals in Brussels.

"Child pornography means images of children suffering sex abuse. Downloading or viewing child pornography on the internet leads to more children being raped to produce those images," she said.

Studies suggest that 10 to 20 per cent of children in Europe potentially suffer from sexual abuse.

According to Brussels, child pornography sites are very difficult to dismantle at the source, especially if they are based outside the EU. But the Commission is suggesting that all member states should block access to such sites.

The Commission estimates that 200 new pornographic pictures of children are published on the web every day. Moreover, the material is becoming more explicit and violent.

With regard to penalties, the aim is to ensure harmonised sentences across member states, ranging from imprisonment of five years for basic offences to 10 years for aggravated crimes.

The proposals also suggest the use of tapping, particularly of phone lines, and other investigation tools used to combat organised crime. Victims would receive accommodation, medical care to help them recover and witness protection to ensure they can testify. They would also receive legal aid throughout the proceedings, including for the purpose of claiming financial compensation.