LEGAL SUPPORT OF POLICE ACTIVITIES TO PREVENT SEXUAL ABUSE OF MINORS UNDER MARTIAL LAW

Abstract

The article provides a legal analysis of the legislation directly aimed at combating sexual violence against children and the legislation regulating the activities of the police in the field of combating sexual abuse of children. The author notes that the comprehensive protection of the rights and legitimate interests of children, including the protection of children from sexual abuse, is one of the priorities of our state policy, which is implemented through an extensive system of state bodies, including the National Police of Ukraine. In accordance with the tasks, the police is entrusted with a wide range of responsibilities to ensure and protect human rights and legitimate interests, ensure public safety and public order, prevent, detect and suppress criminal and administrative offenses, prevent and combat domestic violence or gender-based violence, etc. The effectiveness and quality of the implementation of the tasks assigned to the police to combat sexual violence against children primarily depends on the regulatory and legal support of such activities. It is also established that the regulatory and legal support of police activities in the field of combating sexual violence against children is represented by a significant number of regulatory sources. A detailed analysis of these sources allowed to identify a number of legal conflicts that require immediate elimination, as such conflicts can create conditions under which it will be impossible to protect the child from sexual abuse. An extensive system of by-laws and regulations does not contribute to the proper protection of children from sexual abuse. Duplication of powers, lack of clear coordination and control system, branched system of state bodies with the same functions, all this together creates conditions for unfair performance by civil servants, including police officers, of their duties to protect children from sexual abuse and sexual exploitation.