Switzerland Goes Tough on Paedophiles and Abusive Parents

Another Tough Amendment to the Constitution of Switzerland

Swiss voters have passed a new amendment to the constitution covering paedophile crimes and misuse of children by parents and persons in authority. Following the tough approach adopted already in 2004 over the permanent lock-up of incorrigible criminals, they passed the amendment against the express wish of government and parliament to allow prosecution without any time limitation.

Switzerland is a beautiful country, especially if you believe in true democracy. If voters are not satisfied with laws being passed through parliament, they can intervene and get a vote on it. If voters think that parliament and government are too slow or not doing enough, they may put up their own law and call for a vote on it. Or they go for an amendment in the constitution to give the general outline and make parliament do what it should have done long ago, pass a pertinent law. It isn’t often that voters intervene actively and propose an amendment to the constitution or a new law, but this wasn’t the first time either.

In 2003, a group of parents presented an amendment to the constitution that would allow authorities to incarcerate for life any individual found guilty of sexual crimes. Under certain conditions, e.g. murder in conjunction with a sexual crime, high probability of a repeat offence, or refusal to admit guilt, courts may hand out life sentences. These life sentences are not open to later reviews, revisions, or acts of mercy.

After presenting it, the group of parents had nine months to collect 100,000 signatures from voters who approved to vote on it. They managed this easily, and therefore the amendment went on popular vote in 2004. Government and parliament spent months talking against it, but still the voters passed it into effect with a comfortable 58 per cent majority of votes.

In 2006, a group of parents presented an amendment which would allow prosecuting paedophile crimes and child abuse irrespectively of lapsed time. The 100,000 signatures were duly collected within the limitation of nine months, and government and parliament started talking against this new law at the same time. But unlike any other country, voters in Switzerland cannot be ignored.

End of November, the tally showed 52 per cent of Swiss voters for the tough approach. This will mean that all offenders into paedophile crimes and all abusive parents and teachers face a lifetime of uncertainty as they could be apprehended any time in the future and have no way to evade prosecution. One should hope that more countries will adopt stringent legislation against all paedophile crimes and their committers as well as abusive parents and teachers.

As Switzerland is prosecuting crimes worldwide, this will mean that paedophiles of all nationalities accused anywhere in the world can be prosecuted the moment they touch Swiss ground. The Swiss Minister of Justice, Evelyne Widmer-Schlumpf, stated in a press conference on November 30th, 2008, that the amendment would take legal effect immediately and affect all crimes committed that day or after it.

The amendment encompasses all crimes against children, not only sexual abuse but any kind of abuse.