Child Sexual Assault in Vietnam: A Legislative Approach and Comparison

Abstract

Children are the future owners of the country, also the object of protection, nurture, education in the best conditions by family, school and society. Viet Nam has always paid special attention to children, with the view that human beings are both the target and the driving force behind the development of a socialist-oriented country. Although children are important to be protected by society, the reality is that in recent times more cases have been committed to the lives and health of children and particularly with child sexual assaults. In recent times, many cases of child sexual abuse with harmful consequences and delicate and dangerous nature have been discovered that show the alarming level of this crime. According to the General Department of Police (GDP) of Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, in the past five years (2013 - 2017), an average of 1,600 to 1,800 cases of child abuse were detected. In 2017 alone, 1,592 cases were detected. In the first 6 months of 2018, more than 700 cases were reported, with the majority being girls, accounting for 80%. Actual numbers of undetected child sex abuse may be even higher. This crime also appears in most of the provinces and cities across the country of Vietnam. This situation is due to many objective and subjective reasons requiring timely study, supplementing and perfecting the theory, summing up the practical work, from which to organize preventive and preventive measures. To find solutions to improve the efficiency of this crime prevention effectively, minimizing the possible consequences for society. The main aims of this paper focus on reviewing and analysing the regulation in criminal law of Viet Nam to regulate these types of crime.

Keywords: Child sexual abuse; Criminal code; law enforcement; Vietnam