More and more cases

“Children are abused because of people like this!”

Last week, three perpetrators stood trial in Eisenstadt.

(Bild: BAUER,CHRISTIAN)

What's wrong with some men? There is at least one child pornography trial every week in Eisenstadt. Last week, three perpetrators had to stand trial at the regional court because they had downloaded images and videos on the internet showing adults having sex with minors. 

Judge Doris Halper-Praunias asks each of them in a brisk tone: "Don't you know that children are being abused because of people like you?"

Of course, they then nod dutifully, put on a remorseful look and affirm that they will "never look at such horrible things again".

Incorrigible repeat offender
Like the single man in his late thirties from the north of the country, who had already been convicted of the same offense in 2017 and had to undergo therapy. His biggest worry after the verdict: "Can I please go to the same therapist again? That did me a lot of good back then." 178 relevant photos were found on his cell phone. "I had feelings of happiness when I looked at them. At that moment, my brain switches off completely." While the man had been given five months in 2017, this time it was four. Plus the long-awaited therapy.

Just no more house searches!
The next day. Sitting in the same chair is a man from southern Burgenland, 35, whose girlfriend had also left him. "I did it for my sexual satisfaction," says the man, on whose electronic devices 482 child porn files were seized over a period of two years. Because he had also made a 100-second video available to his Telegram group, a special American cybercrime unit was able to track him down. His intention to purify himself is also questionable. "I never want to experience a house search like that again, so I'll never do anything with child porn again!" He accepts the six-month conditional prison sentence.

Alter ego
And the story continues. Via Snapchat, a 21-year-old from northern Burgenland forced an 11-year-old girl to send him nude photos. And another one! And another one! And a video! "I didn't know her age," says the boy, "I actually like women my own age." Sentence: Six months conditional sentence for "figurative sexual child abuse".

This week, "only" one of these gruesome cases is being tried in Eisenstadt.