Gaps in juvenile law

Why a 14-year-old was released after being raped

Offenders in Austria are liable to prosecution from the age of 14 and can also be imprisoned. The fact that a sex offender in Carinthia was only behind bars for a short time is causing discussion.

(Bild: Elmar Gubisch)

A child rapes a child. The boy is 14, the girl eleven years old. The fact that the perpetrator does not have to spend time behind bars following the verdict of the Klagenfurt Regional Court has caused outrage among many - and does not bode well for other victims of abuse, such as Anna-Sofia in Vienna. But why was the sentence so light?

One month in prison, a further 13 months suspended, legally binding: the sentence following a child rape in Carinthia has been criticized as "too lenient". And: "Not enough of a deterrent." Some would like to see harsher consequences for juvenile offenders - such as the FPÖ's call for "boot camps". But those who shout such things often have little idea of the cases themselves. Because even in this drama, not everything is as it seems at first glance.