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Letter
to EU President Romano Prodi September 17, 2001 President Romano Prodi In Re: Proposed framework decision to
fight the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography Dear President Romano Prodi, Recently you received a letter by the Austrian Society for Sexology (ÖGS) voicing major concerns regarding the proposed Framework decision mentioned above. We do share these concerns. While the proposal, on the one hand, does not do everything possible to protect children against sexual exploitation it, on the other hand, proscribes massive criminalization of consensual adolescent sexuality and eroticism all over the European Union. To outlaw for instance the "inducement" (or what is the same: "seduction") of 17 year old adolescents to sexual contacts (Art. 2 lit b) ii) of the proposal) is completely out of touch with reality of young people in today's societies. The quality of sexual and intimate contacts and relationships of young people does not depend on which of the partners took the first step. Moreover, intrusion by criminal police, state prosecutors and criminal courts into the consensual sexual life of adolescents to find out who started the initiative to the contacts they engaged in bears massive risks for the psycho-social development and the sexual health and integrity of young people even if these investigations finally lead to the conclusion that there was no "inducement". The World Association for Sexology is dedicated to the promotion of sexual rights in a comprehensive manner encompassing the right to autonomy, sexual integrity and safety of the sexual body on the one hand as well as the right to sexual freedom, privacy and pleasure on the other. Both sides of the "medal" have to be given due weight and none neglected. Only then will human sexual dignity will be fully and comprehensively respected. Since the proposal in its current form carries massive risks for the sexual rights and the sexual health of adolescents we do urge you to exert your influence that the proposal as it stands now will not be adopted. Sincerely, Eli Coleman, Ph.D. |