Child abuse damage steadily increases every year... Strengthening criminal punishment

Sentencing standards for child abuse crimes have been significantly raised...applied since last June


The number of child abuse victims is rapidly increasing every year. According to a report published by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of child abuse cases increased significantly from 11,715 cases in 2015 to 22,367 cases in 2017 and 30,049 cases in 2019. As of 2019 alone, more than 80 children are victims of violence per day.

Of the 30,000 cases of child abuse that occurred in 2019, 75.6% (22,700 cases) of abusers were parents. They were followed by surrogate caregivers and relatives, and only 2.2% (663 cases) were non-family members. Like this, child abuse often occurs in families, and because the perpetrator and victim live together, it leads to greater damage.

Experts analyzed that since the COVID-19 incident, the incidence of child abuse has increased significantly as telecommuting and non-face-to-face classes have become established, and the number of families spending time together at home has increased.

Attorney Shim Jae-guk of Daeryun Law Firm explained, "As social issues regarding child abuse continue to rise, the standards for punishing child abuse have been significantly strengthened. Last March, the Supreme Court Sentencing Committee finalized an amendment to significantly increase the sentencing standards for child abuse crimes, and this amendment has been in effect since last June."

He continued, "According to this, the sentencing standards for child abuse and death under the Child Abuse Punishment Act have been strengthened. The existing sentencing standard of 4 to 7 years has been raised to the upper limit of 4 to 8 years. The aggravation range applied when the crime is serious has been increased from 6 to 10 years to 7 to 15 years. Additionally, the recommended range of imprisonment for child abuse and murder under the Child Abuse Punishment Act, child sexual abuse and child trafficking under the Child Welfare Act, which was not in the existing sentencing standards, has also been increased. “It was newly established,” he said.

Attorney Shim Jae-guk said, "If the prosecutor determines that it is a minor case and that it is appropriate to impose protective measures instead of punishment, the case can be transferred to the family court and handled as a child protection case. Accordingly, if you are involved in a child abuse case, it is necessary to resolve it with the help of a criminal lawyer."

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