JUVENILES AS VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE

COMPARATIVE VIEW BETWEEN ALBANIAN AND INTERNATIONAL LAW

Abstract

Today we are faced with rapid technological developments. Thanks to this technology, the information that is received is diverse and now even juveniles have access to receiving information inappropriate for their age. Pornography, false models that create false beliefs in juveniles, or other inappropriate displays on the internet, are a danger that juveniles face every day.

Different states have a different age of consent for sexual intercourse. Albania has set the age of 14 as the age at which sexual intercourse will not be considered abuse. The 14-year-old juvenile reaches sexual maturity, but does he or she have the intellectual capacity to understand the importance of the actions performed?

In Albania, the Family Code does not allow marriage under the age of 18, except in special cases. The Civil Code does not allow you to perform legal actions without having the ability to act, which is acquired at the age of 18. Alcohol and tobacco cannot be consumed under the age of 18, nor can a driving license be obtained before this age. All of these are within the scope of the juvenile's intellectual capacity, which is assumed to be reached upon attaining the age of 18. Since there is an age limit of 18 years, the question naturally arises: Why is the limit so low for sexual intercourse?

This paper focuses on the juvenile as a victim of sexual abuse. The choice of this topic comes precisely at a moment when our society has faced such situations, where juveniles have been sexually abused, and in many cases, have not found the protection and support of the family and the law.