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| Friday, 6 February 2004 |
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Online child sex crimes rise in Japan TOKYO, Thursday (AFP) Reported rape and robbery cases involving children, mostly schoolgirls lured into online sex sites, jumped last year despite a law banning the soliciting sex from minors over the Internet, police said Thursday. There were 72 rape cases, up 35.8 percent from a year earlier, with the number of robbery cases surging 54.2 percent to 37, the National Police Agency said in a report. While murder cases fell by two to four, kidnapping and abduction cases rose by three to six, it said. Under a law enacted in last September, adults who post messages on the Internet asking minors aged under 18 for sex will face fines of up to one million yen (9,500 dollars) or go to jail for six months. Of 1,278 child victims, more than 80 percent were girls, including some 600 high school and 400 junior high students. The victims even included four elementary school girls. Police have acknowledged, however, that young girls are often willing participants in prostitution to get quick cash, often making the initial approach to adults. |
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