CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROTECTION OF SEXUAL INTEGRITY OF CHILDREN AND JUVENILES IN THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA

Abstract

Legal regulations of sexual offences in modern criminal laws have undergone major changes in the past few decades. A modern concept of legal regulations commances with the principle that human sexuality is an integral part of one’s privacy into which the state should not penetrate with criminal law norms, even when we talk about sexually inversive conduct, except when it is followed by violence or different forms of abuse (Babić, Marković, 2005). The stated perspective, which seems quite legitimate when adults are concerned, takes quite a different dimension when referring to juveniles, especially children. In that sense there is an adverse tendency in criminal law, which purports expanding and intensifying criminal law protection of sexual integrity of children and juveniles. It seems that sexual abuse of children has entered the phase of uncontrolled expansion in the last few years. It is an alarming problem with children as the main victims. There are numerous international global and regional documents, which, among other things, protect elementary right of children in terms of their exposure to certain forms of abuse (including sexual exploitation). Criminal justice regulations in the Republic of Srpska, contain incriminations which foremost serve to provide intensified protection of sexual integrity of children and young people, such as: sexual abuse of a child, gratification of sexual desires in the presence of others, trafficking in persons for prostitution, child and juvenile pornography and production and distribution of child pornography (Those criminal acts are defined in Criminal code of Republic Srpska, “Official Gazette of RS”, Num: 49/03 in articles 195, 197, 198, 199, 200).