Public petition n°4142

Petitioner: Lionel Frédéric Ferrand

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Most cases of child sexual abuse are committed by someone the child knows, not by a stranger-and thrive in silence. Luxembourg has toughened penalties, but these come after the fact. This petition calls for action beforehand: teaching children early on about their rights and whom to confide in, training adults to recognize the signs, and supporting those at risk before any abuse occurs.

Explanatory Memorandum The vast majority of sexual abuse cases involving minors are committed by someone the child trusts, not by a stranger. Strategies focused on the "external threat" therefore miss the point: abuse thrives in the isolation and silence of a child left alone with an adult. Luxembourg has strengthened its criminal law framework-the law of August 7, 2023, abolished the statute of limitations for the rape of a minor, increased penalties for sexual abuse, and extended the statute of limitations for offenses against minors. This is a step forward, but it acts after the harm has been done. The Council of Europe's Lanzarote Convention, which Luxembourg has ratified, explicitly provides for several upstream prevention measures, including educating children themselves and training those who work with children. Two prevention strategies remain underdeveloped. The first: equipping children early on with the language and rights to recognize an inappropriate situation and know which adults to turn to. The second concerns potential perpetrators: the report on the implementation of the Lanzarote Convention noted that in Luxembourg, there are no specific programs for perpetrators of these offenses. European support mechanisms offering confidential assistance to individuals struggling with urges, before they act on them, have proven their preventive value. Filling this gap protects children proactively. We call for: - A mandatory, age-appropriate educational program, starting in elementary school, that teaches children to identify inappropriate situations, understand their rights over their own bodies, and identify several trusted adults they can turn to. - Mandatory training for professionals who work with children-teachers, medical staff, and sports coaches-on how to recognize and report abuse. - The creation of a confidential therapeutic support program for individuals who fear they may commit abuse, modeled after existing programs in Europe, to prevent abuse before it occurs.