150 Albanian children seek help because of online sexual harassment

According to the Centre for Child Protection, most sexual molesters are males from 24 to 44.

“44% of children watch pornographic material every day; 47% are contacted by an unknown person on the internet; 62% confirm they have friends who view pornography; most of the foreign citizens contacting Albanian children are from the United Kingdom, 33%; Italy 14% and the US 8%-18x1>, says Altin Hazizaj, director of CRCA, reports TopChannel.

In Albania, children use the internet regularly, easily accessing even inappropriate sites for their age. What do parents say? Can they control the children?

“we can set times”, some parents say.

“Fikshe” showed how adults sexually molested minors via the internet. This investigation prompted the position and opposition in the country to unanimously declare itself in favor of adopting the law protecting minors. The requirement for changing the Criminal Code is made by the Center for Child Rights.

“Talk about certain new criminal acts, child communication for sexual purposes, inciting children to engage in sex. Most of these crimes we demand to be punished from 7-8 years to 20 years”, Hazizaj claims.

According to the CRCA study, in 2016 it turns out that only half of the sexual crimes against children were convicted in Albanian courts. So both the police and the justice system are unprepared to protect children and to condemn sexual crimes against them.

“Albania does not have a record of sexual crimes. Around the world, they're registered to police commissioners, they're located and they can't move from city to city without reporting to police. In Albania, such ones are employed in education, in police, in the military, in state institutions, serving children”, Hazizaj says.