sicher.net § 207a

Section 207a of the Austrian Criminal Code was tightened in 2023, criminalizing the possession and sharing of pornographic material involving minors. Many of the offenders are juveniles who share such images, not adult pedophiles. The rise in such offenses, fueled by social media, requires a response that addresses the underlying issues, as conviction as a sex offender can harm the social and professional development of young people.

Sicher.net § 207a presents an alternative path for minors caught in this legal framework. Rather than facing conviction, young people enter a probation period guided by professional probation services. Through structured reflection, juveniles learn to understand consequences, develop critical thinking about media norms, respect boundaries, and build victim empathy during individual and group sessions designed to address root causes.

Probation services form the implementation backbone across 36 Austrian departments, each led by department heads overseeing dedicated social workers. Expert teams from the Central Social Work Division collaborated to develop the program methodology. Courts and prosecutors serve as referral sources, directing appropriate cases toward this alternative intervention after social workers complete specialized training to facilitate the program.

Education and reflection replace stigmatization in this innovative departure from punitive responses. Despite initial shame surrounding pornography discussions, participants respond positively to the program's respectful, open approach. Young people gain valuable perspective while avoiding destructive sex offender convictions that would otherwise follow them throughout their lives, demonstrating the effectiveness of rehabilitative methods over punishment.

Sicher.net §207a tackles the criminalization of minors for sharing sexualized peer images with a socially grounded approach. Rather than stigmatizing young people as sex offenders, it provides a structured program for reflection and education covering media literacy, personal and legal boundaries, and victim empathy. The initiative addresses what courts often cannot: the complexity of adolescent digital behavior. As debates continue about lowering the age of criminal responsibility, this scalable prevention model offers a humane, forward-looking alternative.