Sexual grooming offence, changes to rape laws urged by Hong Kong law reform group
- The Law Reform Commission has proposed almost 70 changes to the city’s sexual offences laws, including ensuring offences cover LGBT communities and digital crimes
- The group released the recommendations after a 13-year study which included consultations with experts and rights groups
A commission tasked with reforming Hong Kong’s laws on Thursday announced a host of wide-ranging recommendations, including changing the definition of sexual offences to cover people of all genders and sexual orientations, and bringing legislation in line with the digital age.
Among the almost 70 proposed changes, the Law Reform Commission suggested introducing a new offence of “sexual grooming” to protect minors from sexual predators online.
Sexual grooming, a charge not currently caught directly by any of Hong Kong’s laws, refers to the act of predators often using electronic channels to gain a child’s trust, with the ultimate intent to engage him or her in sexual acts.
A person is deemed to have committed the offence when he or she travels to meet or have made plans to meet the child he or she has sexually groomed, according to the group.
The aim of the recommendation was to deter underage sexual exploitation and for police to be given the power to carry out decoy operations, said the commission in the report, which was published after a study period of more than 13 years.