Protection of minors from sexual exploitation and abuse: The European standards and the Criminal Law of the Republic of Serbia

• Main Author: Miladinović-Stefanović Dušica
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Law, Niš 2014-01-01
• Series: Zbornik Radova Pravnog Fakulteta u Nišu
• Subjects: sexual exploitation and abuse; minors; preventive measures
• Online Access: http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0350-8501/2014/0350-85011468567M.pdf
• ISSN: 0350-8501; 2560-3116

The Convention for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (2007) laid down the criminal law standards for the protection of minors. After the ratification of this Convention, these standards became part of the Serbian legal system but Serbia assumed an obligation to provide for their further elaboration and implementation. The obligation was put into effect by amending the Criminal Code (2009) and adopting the Act on Special Measures for the Prevention of Sex Crimes against Minors (2013). In that context, this paper is an attempt to critically examine the implementation of these standards in the field of general criminal law, the scope of criminal offences introduced to protect the sexual integrity of minors, the special measures for their protection and the special registers on the perpetrators of criminal offences involving sexual abuse against minors. In line with the projected subject matter, the primary goal of this research paper is to provide answers to several important questions: has Serbia managed to put the Convention capacities into good use; are there any other solutions for the specific implementation of general standards; and what are the practical implication of the accepted and possible solutions?.