"Sexually Abused by Older Brother for Years"... Repeated Family Sexual Crimes, Is There a Solution?

"I am living with my assailant as a sexual assault victim" Controversy over Blue House petition
55.2% of victims take over 10 years to report
Some cannot report due to statute of limitations expiration

The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article.

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] A 19-year-old female student has posted a petition expressing her suffering from sexual assault by her older brother that began when she was in elementary school, causing a stir. In particular, the student is currently living with her older brother, the perpetrator, despite having been sexually assaulted for several years, and is appealing for help, sparking controversy.

Meanwhile, inhumane sexual crimes against relatives such as siblings and children continue every year, becoming a social issue. Especially since most victims are exposed to sexual crimes from a minor age and it is easy to conceal crimes within the family, there are calls for stricter punishment. Experts have suggested the need for a system that can continuously protect victims.

On the 13th, a petition titled "I, a victim of sexual assault, am living with the perpetrator" was posted on the Blue House National Petition Board. As of 12:30 PM on the 15th, the petition had received about 167,800 signatures.

According to the petition, the petitioner A, currently 19 years old, was sexually harassed by her older brother starting in the upper grades of elementary school and has been sexually harassed and assaulted by him for several years. Raised by working parents, A emotionally depended on her older brother, who is one year older, but the sexual harassment gradually escalated to sexual assault.

Eventually, unable to endure it any longer, A reported her older brother to investigative authorities in 2019, but he showed no signs of remorse. A said, "Even after the case was transferred to the prosecution, my brother showed no remorse at all," adding, "In fact, in February of this year, he sexually harassed me again, and although I got angry, my parents scolded me instead."

A also expressed despair over her parents' attitude of defending the perpetrator older brother. She said, "My parents are currently siding with my older brother, the perpetrator, hiring several private lawyers to prepare for the trial, while I am preparing for the trial with a public defender."

Furthermore, A lamented, "Even though we are no longer siblings but 'victim' and 'perpetrator,' am I unable to escape from under parents who demand affection?" It is reported that the case is currently being tried at the Seoul Western District Court.

On the 13th, a petition titled "I, a victim of sexual assault, am currently living with the perpetrator" was posted on the Blue House National Petition Board, causing a stir. Photo by Blue House National Petition Board capture.

Sexual crimes among relatives have been ongoing every year. According to data on "Sexual violence crimes by kinship (within the fourth degree)" submitted by the Ministry of Justice to Kim Do-eup, a member of the People Power Party, last year, the number of sexual violence crimes reported due to kinship relations from 2016 to October last year totaled 2,570 cases.

Looking at the numbers by year: △ 2016 had 500 cases △ 2017 had 535 cases △ 2018 had 578 cases, showing a steady increase over three years. In 2019, there was a slight decrease to 525 cases, but more than 500 sexual crimes among relatives occurred annually. Considering that victims tend to be reluctant to report due to the nature of kinship sexual violence crimes, the actual number of crimes is likely much higher.

The problem is that sexual violence among relatives often occurs when victims are minors, so it takes a long time for the victims to recognize the harm. Even when they recognize the crime, many cases are ignored because it involves family, making it difficult to report. Ultimately, victims suffer additional wounds from their families.

Some victims only muster the courage to report the abuse to relevant institutions after becoming adults and becoming independent from the perpetrator. According to an analysis of 87 kinship sexual violence counseling cases by the Korea Sexual Violence Counseling Center in 2019, 48 cases?more than half (55.2%)?took over 10 years from the time of abuse to counseling.

Given this situation, citizens are raising their voices to abolish the statute of limitations for family sexual crimes. The statute of limitations for kinship sexual violence is up to 10 years. However, in still patriarchal and closed Korean society, it is not uncommon for victims to exceed the 10-year statute of limitations before responding to sexual crimes.

Office worker Lim (27) said, "For parents to sexually assault their children is an act that betrays human and familial bonds," adding, "Having a statute of limitations for such a horrific crime is absurd. Thorough investigations should be conducted so that punishment can be imposed at any time. Also, to prevent recurrence, the statute of limitations should be abolished."

Office worker Kim (28) said, "The sexual crime was committed by the family you should rely on the most. It is a terrible crime," adding, "The victim will carry trauma for life, and even if they report it, they will worry about the risk of reoffending. Severe punishment is necessary for the victims."

Experts point out that sexual crimes among relatives are often not reported due to the nature of the crime. Lawyer Lee Eun-hee said, "Sexual violence crimes among relatives are crimes where victims are not supported or protected by the family they rely on. When young, many use family as a shield, so it is not easy to report while turning against the family they must live with. Many consider reporting only after becoming adults and socially and economically stable, but by then, the statute of limitations may have expired." She added, "A system is needed to continuously and actively care for victims."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.