CSV MP Nancy Kemp-Arendt submitted a parliamentary question asking about the child and youth hotline's figures on reports of child pornography online and took the opportunity to ask ministers about figures on convicted cases and treatment recommended for those charged with paedophilia.
Child pornography: Luxembourg child and youth hotline received 3,000 reports of online sexual abuse in 2019Minister of Justice Sam Tanson, Minister for Internal Security Francois Bausch, and Minister of Education Claude Meisch confirmed the figures in their response to the parliamentary question. Tanson was asked to elaborate when she appeared for an interview with our colleagues at RTL Radio.
"There are individual therapy treatments that have been provided to inmates at the Schrassig or Givenich prisons, but there is no universal therapy that applies to everyone," she specified in the interview. The response to the parliamentary question revealed that Luxembourgish courts sentenced 25 individuals for crimes relating to paedophilia. The minister elaborated that the penitentiary system does not offer universal therapy for those who have committed such crimes, as there are varying profiles of the types of offenders.
She added that different types of treatment are offered depending on the offender's profile, and that treatment is offered to offenders in Schrassig and Givenich, although on a voluntary basis. The minister highlighted the importance of preventing repeat offences, a goal that applies to crime in general, but especially crimes related to sexually abusing children. Above all, Tanson stressed that prison should ensure that there are no repeat offences and that offenders should also work towards reintegrating into society.
The minister admitted it is important to consider better types of therapy, which is something the ministry is working on. She added that the court would decide on the most appropriate sentence depending on the gravity of the crime(s) committed.
Often, sentences are conditional upon receiving treatment, but as Tanson emphasised, these can only be successful if the perpetrator is willing to undergo treatment.
The minister stressed the importance of having the available means in place to lead to the best-possible results, which is to prevent repeat offences and ensure perpetrators can return to society once they have carried out their sentence. There are different models in other countries, but the minister did not want to commit to a particular model without all the facts.
First of all, she continued, the ministry must have transparent figures on repeat offences and understand what leads to repeat offending.
Once such figures are available, the authorities must examine available additional therapeutic measures before committing to a specific model. This, she concluded, would require close collaboration with health professionals.
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