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Photo: Oliver Berg/dpa
The British government wants to better protect minors from sexual abuse in the future with stricter laws. Perpetrators will no longer have the right to change their name if they are still considered a danger to the community, the Home Office in London announced.
According to Home Secretary James Cleverly, this is intended to prevent people "who have committed heinous sexual crimes in the past" from evading police investigations by changing their names. Anyone who fails to comply with the authorities' request can be sentenced to up to five years in prison.
Naming in Great Britain differs significantly from the practice in Germany. In judicial communications or media reports, suspects are often named by their real names and details about their place of residence. However, changing a name is comparatively easy and inexpensive. Registered sex offenders are obliged to inform the authorities of any changes in their personal environment. But critics of the current regulation warn that hundreds of people will not comply with this requirement. I
The British legislative initiative also stipulates an obligation for all people who have professional contact with children, such as teachers or doctors, to report sexual abuse. Anyone who does not comply with this requirement should be able to be excluded from their work.
svs/dpa