MOSCOW, July 3. /TASS/. The State Duma on Tuesday endorsed a bill on extending punishments for pedophiles to life terms and on suspending the statutes of limitations for sexual crimes against children. The legislative initiative came for Duma Deputy Speaker Irina Yarovaya.
A letter of comment on the bill says it introduces a possibility of life imprisonments for committing crimes against the sexual integrity of underage individuals entailing heavy bodily aftermaths.
At present, jail terms for life are envisioned only in cases of recidivism of violent sexual abuses of individuals who have not reached the age of fourteen.
"Systemic sexual violence against a child most typically inflicts irreparable damage on his or her health," the letter says.
Simultaneously, the Duma plans amending Article 78 of the Russian Criminal Code that establishes limitations on unexposed sexual crimes against underage children. The amendment will make it possible to lift the terms of limitations on the opening of criminal cases for sexual violence targeting underage children.
"This provision will embrace all the categories of crimes against children’s integrity, regardless of the degree of heinousness," the letter said.
In addition, the bill interprets sexual violence committed against children and adolescents by the individuals living together with them as an aggravating factor.
Proliferation of pornographic materials for children in the Internet also will also be regarded as an aggravating factor.
A separate provision makes motivation of underage children to sexual activity via the Internet and social networks a separate criminal offense.
The letter of comment says 9,600 underage children became victims of sexual assaults in 2017 and 4,245 children received bodily damage because of sexual violence.