Swiss anti-paedophile strategy slammed by child protection agency
Cantons have boosted their capabilities to tackle cybercrime but now have more work to do.
Keystone-sda-ats Ag Switzerland
In the midst of an ongoing child pornography scandal in Germany, the Swiss child protection agency has called for a better coordinated national strategy to fight the scourge of paedophilia.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
Español
es
Críticas a la estrategia suiza contra la pederastia
The agency complains that too much is being left to individual cantons to combat the crime and that some are ill-equipped to meet this challenge.
“At the moment, neighbouring countries are ramping up their cooperation, but here more and more is being delegated to the cantons,” agency spokeswoman Regula Bernhard Hug told Swiss public broadcaster SRF. “Since this is an international phenomenon, it needs a national strategy.”
The problem of child pornography has been highlighted by a high-profile case in Cologne, Germany. Police say tens of thousands of people could have viewed pictures of a man abusing his own baby daughter. The images were posted on the Swiss secure messaging system Threema.
The Swiss Federal Office of Police has said it will stop conducting covert investigations into paedophile crimes from next year, instead leaving this to cantons. Bernhard Hug said some cantons have yet to establish a single dedicated post to take on this responsibility.
Urs Hofmann, President of the Conference of Cantonal Justice and Police Directors, told SRF that cantons must make resources available. He added that many have significantly boosted capabilities to tackle cybercrime.
Hofmann also believes that any future efforts to centralise the country’s response to child abuse should focus on strengthening the Office of the Attorney General – the Swiss federal prosecutor.
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
This content was published on
Czech President Petr Pavel and his wife, Eva Pavlova, arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday at the start of a two-day state visit.
Study shows proliferation of non-native plants is driver of insect invasions
This content was published on
A global study has revealed that insect invasions are being driven by the proliferation of non-native plants. This can can massively disrupt ecological processes, often leading to serious economic impacts.
Swiss set record for world’s longest hyperloop test
This content was published on
Swiss scientists have established a record for the longest-ever hyperloop journey at a facility in Lausanne, Switzerland.
This content was published on
The Swiss army wants to purchase new German armoured howitzers to replace its existing artillery system which has been in operation for over 50 years.
Poll suggests Donald Trump has many fans in Switzerland
This content was published on
Around a quarter of Swiss citizens would vote for Donald Trump if they had the chance, according to a recent poll. This percentage is higher than in many other European countries.
Swiss court rejects special assistance for student with disabilities
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Court has rejected an application for special assistance from a student with disabilities at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich.
Police arrest 15 drug dealers in Verbier in southern Switzerland
This content was published on
Swiss and French police have arrested 15 suspected drug dealers operating in the mountain resort of Verbier in southern Switzerland.
New European space tech centre in Switzerland launches its first project
This content was published on
The European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI), launched in collaboration with the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), is to be located in the immediate vicinity of the PSI in northern Switzerland.
Swiss Federal Railways launches campaign for safety on public transport
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Railways is launching a campaign for greater respect and safety on public transport, with posters to go up in stations and on trains starting next week.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Up to 50,000 child abuse cases registered every year
This content was published on
Between 30,000 and 50’000 children who suffer abuse are registered by the child protection authorities in Switzerland every year.
Law change: more people obliged to report child abuse
This content was published on
All professionals with regular contact with children will be obliged to report their suspicions of child abuse from January 1, 2019.
This content was published on
The number of victims in Switzerland rose by 10% last year, according to the latest statistics collected by the Swiss Society of Pediatrics (SSP).
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.