300 Billion Net Worth Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Molesting a 9-Year-Old: A Look at Laws on Child Sexual Abuse Around the World

[2] On the afternoon of July 1, Wang, chairman of listed company Seazen Group, was subjected to compulsory measures in Shanghai for molesting a 9-year-old girl and causing vaginal tearing.

[3] It is reported that on the afternoon of June 29, a friend of the girl's mother, surnamed Zhou, took the girl to Shanghai under the pretext of taking her out to play and handed her over to Wang. After the incident, Wang paid Zhou 10,000 yuan as compensation. Upon learning of the situation, the girl's mother immediately rushed to Shanghai and filed a police report.

[4] A lawyer from Guangdong Zhiming Law Firm stated that, first, the mother's actions are highly commendable. In such cases, evidence collection is difficult, and most families choose to remain silent due to shame. However, this mother promptly reported the incident to the police and took the child to the hospital for medical examination, which are key to ensuring the perpetrator is brought to justice.

[5] Second, the police charged Wang with the crime of child molestation rather than rape, indicating that Wang did not use his sexual organs to assault the girl. According to China's criminal law, the maximum penalty for raping a minor can be life imprisonment or the death penalty, while the sentence for child molestation is generally less than five years, or more than five years in severe cases, but never life imprisonment or the death penalty. Although the punishment for child molestation is far lighter than that for rape, the harm inflicted on the child and their family is equally difficult to heal.

Child sexual abuse cases keep emerging one after another. In fact, as such cases increase year by year, countries around the world are actively taking measures to maximize the protection of minors.

　　The United States: Offender information is disclosed to the entire society.

Many states stipulate that any sexual relationship with a child under 14 is punishable as rape. Five states allow the death penalty for those who sexually assault children.

After serving their sentences, offenders must wear GPS, wrist warning signs, and electronic trackers. Their residences must be registered with local police, and they are prohibited from living within half a mile of kindergartens, middle schools, or high schools.

Police publish offenders' personal information and photos in communities and on the internet.

　　South Korea: Sentencing for child sexual assault is heavier than for murder.

The maximum penalty for child sexual assault is life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. For South Korea, which has abolished the death penalty, life imprisonment is the highest punishment, carrying a heavier sentence than murder.

After release, offenders must wear electronic tracking ankle bracelets, with the maximum duration of wearing such bracelets being 30 years.

Additionally, South Korea is the first country in Asia to introduce "chemical castration."

　　Japan: Purchasing sex from children also carries criminal penalties.

Engaging in sexual acts with a child under 13 constitutes rape, regardless of consent.

According to the "Act on Punishment of Child Prostitution and Child Pornography," any adult engaging in lewd acts with a person under 18 faces criminal penalties, regardless of whether money is involved.

If convicted, the penalty shall be imprisonment of not more than 10 years or a fine of not more than 3 million yen, or both.

　　Germany: Non-physical contact also constitutes sexual assault.

In addition to physical contact with intimate body parts of a child, some non-physical contact behaviors are also considered child sexual abuse, such as exposing sexual organs to a child, or watching pornographic books or videos with a child.

Any adolescent aged 14 or older or adult who engages in the above behaviors with a child under 14, even if the child is a child prostitute, shall be subject to criminal penalties.

Sentencing is generally 10 years or more, or chemical castration.

　　India: The maximum penalty can be the death penalty.

Sexual assault of children under 12 will result in 20 years imprisonment, life imprisonment, or the death penalty.

Offenders who sexually assault females under 16 will be sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, life imprisonment, or the death penalty.

For serious sexual crimes against minors under 18, the minimum sentence is 20 years, with a maximum of the death penalty. Serious sexual crimes include those causing pregnancy in girls, disability, or infection with fatal diseases.

Every time such an incident occurs, the loudest online call is for China to introduce chemical castration. Chemical castration does not remove sexual organs but involves injecting drugs to suppress sexual urges and prevent erections. While chemical castration can significantly reduce the likelihood of reoffending, its negative effects cannot be ignored. This method can easily exacerbate offenders' psychological abnormalities, potentially leading to more severe crimes due to psychological distortion, which is why many countries have hesitated to adopt this punishment.

　　In fact, the most important issue now may not be how to punish Wang, the chairman of Seazen Holdings, but whether there is a chain of transactions behind the intermediary Zhou, how many such transactions occur where we cannot see, and how many child victims remain invisible to us.