Global Progress Towards Ending the Sexual Exploitation of Children
A global problem requires truly global solutions to address the sexual exploitation of children.
Indicators
Age of Consent
Not Yet Assessed
Extraterritoriality & Extradition
Partial
Active and passive extraterritoriality are recognized for SEC related offences in all instances under articles 8 and 9 of the Criminal Code with regards to Serbian citizens (but not habitual residents) and only if they are found in Serbian territory or extradited to Serbia. Double criminality required for extraterritorial jurisdiction provisions under article 10.2 of the Criminal Code unless excluded by an international agreement ratified by the Republic of Serbia or unless permission is granted by the Public Prosecutor.
SEC related offences can be considered extraditable offences if they are punished with at least one year of imprisonment under Serbian law and the law of the requesting state under article 13 of the Law on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters. Serbian nationals cannot be extradited under article 16.1. Double criminality is required in all instances for extradition under article 13 of the Law on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.
Criminal Code of the Republic of Serbia,
Law on Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters, 2019, 2017
CSAM Definition
Not Yet Assessed
Background Check Required
Not Yet Assessed
National Commitments
Not Yet Assessed
Child Advocacy Centers
Not Yet Assessed
SEC Police Unit
Not Yet Assessed
Protection Standards Travel and Tourism
Not Yet Assessed
Public SEC Case Data
Not Yet Assessed
Age of Consent Law is Appropriate
The age of sexual consent for both males and females is 18 and a close in age exemption (up to 3 years) is provided for consensual sexual relationships between adolescents.
The age of sexual consent is the legally defined age at which a person is considered mature enough to agree to sexual activity. The age of sexual consent varies across jurisdictions around the world and there is no international legal instrument establishing it, however various forms of advocacy have encouraged States to establish a minimum age under which engaging in sexual contact is considered a criminal offence. This is intended to prevent sexual contact with children and to prevent argument that the child consented as a defence.
Often national provisions related to the age of sexual consent include an exception, known as a close-in-age exemption, making consensual sexual activities between young people lawful if the partners are of similar ages and the age difference is not higher than a certain number of years.
To ensure that cases of child sexual exploitation do not go unpunished, ECPAT advocates for the age of sexual consent to be set at 18 for both males and females with a close-in-age exemption of 2-3 years provided in order to ensure young people are not penalised for consensual sexual acts with peers. The age from which the exemption applies should be established by States but may begin for young people somewhere between 12 and 16 years of age.
Yes The national legislation explicitly indicates that the age of sexual consent unequivocally is 18 for both males and females, with a close-in-age exemption for sexual acts between peers (of up to 3 years) is provided by law.