Since the Teichtmeister case, the possession of child pornography has been discussed again and again. However, half of the people reported are not adults, but young people. Probation association Neustart has developed a sexual and social educational program for them.
“Sending photos by young people is a different issue than that of ‘classic’ sex offenders,” says Herbert Janusch, head of department at Neustart Leoben. Most young people who possess, produce or distribute child pornography are said to have received the photos and videos via social media and saved them on their mobile phones. Others took revealing photos of their friends and forwarded them.
They are often unaware that they could be convicted if someone informs law enforcement. “I was surprised that you could be convicted for this,” says a 17-year-old from the Styrian district of Leoben. He received a sexual video from a girl on his mobile phone and saved it for 15 minutes. He then deleted it and informed the girl about it. He is now much more careful with photos.
Six-month training
He is one of sixteen boys who have completed Neustart’s sexual and social education program since October. The youngsters are trained in media skills, how to deal with pornography and the laws regarding images of abuse. The content includes the perspective of the victims, the difference between reality and fiction, cybersex and self-portraits on the internet. The whole takes six months, one appointment lasts five hours.
“For everyone who successfully completed our program, the topic that the Internet is not a legal vacuum was never discussed at school,” says Neustart employee Elvir Kujovic. The 17-year-old also confirms this. “It would be cool if you could do that at school.” He had imagined the units very differently, but they “would have given him a lot.”
33 convictions last year
With the program “sicher.net § 207a” Neustart wants to prevent the affected young people from being labeled as sex offenders and enable them to continue their smooth academic and professional careers. It is intended for people who are on probation for possession or distribution of child abuse material.
Last year, 33 young people were convicted in this area and in the first half of 2024 there were 23 convictions.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
