Proposition 53K3450

Logo (Chamber of representatives)

Projet de loi modifiant le Code pénal en vue de protéger les enfants contre les cyberprédateurs.

General information

Submitted by
The Senate
Submission date
Sept. 13, 2013
Official page
Visit
Status
Adopted
Requirement
Simple
Subjects
computer crime Internet child protection sexual offence criminal law

Voting

Voted to adopt
Groen CD&V Vooruit Ecolo LE PS | SP Open Vld N-VA LDD MR VB

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Discussion

April 2, 2014 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source


President André Flahaut

Carina Van Cauter, rapporteur, refers to the written report.


Sophie De Wit N-VA

There is, on the one hand, grooming and, on the other hand, cyberbullying. I think it is obvious for the Chamber that we are further committed to protecting minors from all kinds of ways of accessing them via the Internet and thus protecting them from pedophilia. The proposed legislation is good and we have therefore supported them.

I just want to make a warning: the quality of legislation is not always what it should be. The intentions are always good, but the quality sometimes leaves something to be desired.

Grooming is the approach through the Internet with a view to a meeting in which also actions are made. Cyberblocking is just about communicating.

You should know, colleagues, that that communication is punished as severely as grooming. The balance seems to be sought here. The penalty rate is large. The victim is also described differently. One concerns only minors under the age of 16, while this concerns other minors. The attempt of one can be all the crime of the other. There is a very large field of tension between the two crimes.

However, I would like to point out to the meeting that this can cause problems in practice, which will give rise to casuisticism. I have asked questions about this in the committee, but I have not received any answers.

In any case, it seems to me important to be alert in this regard, as the proposed legislative texts may need to be adjusted in the future in order to make them workable in practice. I would like to give the half-circle a moment, Mr. Speaker.