Criminal law protection of children against sexual abuse

Seksualno zlostavljanje djece veliki je problem u društvu te država, kao i njeni državljani, moraju poduzeti sve kako bi ga suzbili. Cilj ovog diplomskog rada je ukazati na to kako kazneno pravo sudjeluje u rješavanju problema seksualnog zlostavljanja djece. Materijalnopravnim i procesnopravnim odredbama se određuje koja su to kaznena djela počinjena na štetu djeteta te kako cijeli postupak učiniti što manje bolnim za dijete te na taj način štite i pomažu samoj djeci. Prepoznavanje zlostavljanja i odgovarajući tretman žrtava je ujedno i preventivno djelovanje, a u tome, osim samih zakonodavaca, sudjeluju i različite ustanove na temelju zakona. Na samom početku ovog rada ćemo objasniti što je to seksualno zlostavljanje djece te kako je ono tretirano u prošlosti. Kategorizirati ćemo počinitelje navedenog kaznenog djela te navesti koja kaznena djela propisuje Kazneni zakon te koje su osobitosti takvih spolnih delikata. Budući da su žrtve ovog kaznenog djela djeca, ukazat ćemo na posebnosti kaznenog postupka te tretmana djece kao svjedoka. Zatim ćemo reći nešto o tome kakvu podršku žrtve imaju, koje vrste prevencija postoje, a na kraju ovog diplomskog rada ćemo objasniti koji su međunarodni standardi kojih se i naše zakonodavstvo mora pridržavati.Sexual abuse of children is a major problem in society, and state, as well as its citizens, must do everything to stop it. The aim of this diploma paper is to point out how is criminal law involved in solving the problem of sexual abuse of children. The material and procedural legal provisions determine which criminal offenses are committed to the detriment of the child and how to make the entire procedure as less painful to the child and how to protect and help the children. Identification of abuse and appropriate treatment of victims is also preventative action, and apart from the legislators themselves, different institutions are also involved on the basis of the law. At the very beginning of this diploma paper we will explain what is sexual abuse of children and how it was treated in the past. We will categorize the perpetrators of the mentioned criminal offense and specify which criminal offenses are prescribed by the Criminal Code and which are the characteristics of such sexual crimes. Since the victims of this criminal offense are children, we will point out the particularities of criminal proceedings and the treatment of children as witnesses. Then we will say something about the victim's support, what kind of prevention exists, and at the end of this diploma paper we will explain which international standards are to be complied with by our legislation