Alarming rise in child pornography cases in Ukraine – reports
Source: Opendatabot
Every second case of pornography investigated in Ukraine this year involves children, according to a report from Opentabot. The data, covering the first seven months of 2024, reveals over 2,300 criminal cases related to pornographic content, with child pornography cases outnumbering those related to adult content for the third consecutive year.
The grim statistics show 1,145 cases under Article 301 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code, which deals with the import, production, sale, and distribution of pornographic materials. An even more concerning 1,198 cases have been filed under Article 301-1, specifically targeting child pornography. This marks a 27% increase in cases related to adult content compared to the entire previous year.
For the first time in three years, the number of cases concerning adult and child pornography has reached a similar level. However, the situation is far from balanced. While 68% of cases involving adult content have reached the courts, only 57% of child pornography cases have made it that far—down from 69% last year.
Adding to the complexity, 21 cases involving adult pornography and 25 involving child pornography were closed earlier this year. The ongoing legal challenges highlight the state’s struggle to define what constitutes “distribution” of pornography, with the law failing to differentiate between a private nude photo sent to a partner and commercially distributed sexual content.
Last year, lawmakers introduced bill No. 9623 to partially decriminalize adult pornography, aiming to free up law enforcement resources and reduce corruption within the system. Yet, the bill has seen little progress, largely due to resistance from the Parliamentary Committee on Law Enforcement.
Igor Samokhodskyi, head of the ICT sector at the BRDO Office for Effective Regulation, said that decriminalizing voluntary adult pornography could save state funds, generate additional tax revenue, and allow law enforcement to focus on real crimes—particularly the distribution of child pornography.
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