Sex crimes by Chinese minors on the increase, warns Beijing judge

Sex crimes by Chinese minors are increasing because of pornography and a breakdown in family values, according to a judge of a Beijing court.

Judge Wang Lijuan of Beijing's Haidian District People's Court said 70 percent of the teenaged criminals, mostly in the 16 to 17 age group, were not high school graduates, and about 60 percent of them came from broken homes.

Citing one case, he said a 16-year-old who constantly watched porn films after his mother went abroad and his father was too busy to take care of him, raped a woman.

He was imprisoned for the offence.

"More than 90 percent of the young criminals involved in rape cases admitted pornographic websites, books and films had influenced them," Wang said.

Another factor behind the increase in sex crimes by minors is the earlier onset of puberty, Li Bian, deputy director of the AIDS Prevention Education Project for Chinese Youth, was quoted by The China Daily, as saying.

A recent survey suggested the average age of puberty has dropped from 13 to 11.

Both Wang and Li called for better care at home and more education at school. Li also called for more sex education classes and instruction in the law.

Tong Lihua, director of the minor protection law committee of the All China Lawyer's Association, called on the government to control the flow of pornography. (With Inputs from ANI)

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