Title: Accused Man Tried for Coercing Teens to Send Nude Photos and Videos
In a Cologne district court trial, a 51-year-old man is facing charges of sexual abuse without physical contact. The allegations include persuading girls aged 13 to 16 to send him nude photos and videos during internets chats. If confirmed, the man threatened to publish these images online or share them with classmates and the youth welfare office if the victims refused to comply.
The man is linked to 27 cases spanning from June 2021 to January 2023. He has previously served a two-year probation sentence for similar offenses by the Cologne district court in 2016. During the Monday trial, the accused admitted to the charges.
One particularly serious incident took place with a 13-year-old girl, who interacted with the accused for three weeks in October and November 2022. The man allegedly portrayed himself as "Kevin from the 7th grade" and built a tense atmosphere, continually threatening to publish the girl's nude photos if she resisted.
The accused demanded the girl to be his "online slave" for eight months in return. He then coerced her into making sexual videos and sending them to him, which she complied with repeatedly. The trial will continue for six more days until mid-December.
The man's actions can be classified as using online platforms to contribute to inappropriate activities. If convicted of the charges, he may face additional penalties for continuing criminal activities following his previous sentencing.
Background
In Germany, individuals who use digital platforms to exploit minors often face consequences under existing legislation, combined with the Digital Services Act (DSA).
- Existing Legislation
- Child Pornography Laws (§ 184b StGB)
- Blackmail (§ 238 StGB)
- Digital Services Act (DSA)
- Platform Responsibilities
- Content Moderation
- Code of Conduct
These enactments help combat online exploitation by mandatory compliance, efficient content removal, and blockchain-based monitoring systems. Law enforcement agencies and civil partnerships play a crucial role in enforcing these regulations.
