LA PAZ, Sept 11 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Bolivian President Luis Arce signed into law a new bill aimed at protecting children and adolescents from digital sexual violence. Known as Law 1636, the legislation introduces new criminal offenses to address online crimes like grooming and the distribution of child sexual abuse material.
The law defines new crimes, including “grooming” and “inappropriate contact for sexual purposes” with minors via electronic means. It also establishes severe punishments for offenders, such as 10 to 15 years in prison for those who distribute, sell, or commercialize digital content depicting minors for sexual purposes, and 4 to 8 years in jail for individuals who contact minors online with sexual or erotic intent by sending inappropriate messages, images, or videos.
The initiative was introduced by the Attorney General’s Office and passed unanimously through the Plurinational Legislative Assembly.
President Arce called the new measure an “important step” in strengthening prevention and protection for vulnerable minors, noting that while technology brings benefits, it also creates new risks that must be addressed.
“With this legislation, we are strengthening prevention, protection, and redress for serious crimes such as grooming, the production and dissemination of child sexual abuse material, and inappropriate contact for sexual purposes,” Arce said.
Attorney General Roger Mariaca, whose office promoted the document, said that the new law “leaves a very important legacy in relation to the protection” of children and adolescents in digital environments, “a sector so vulnerable that it needed this attention from the authorities.”
“This bill will provide the Bolivian state with updated legal tools to more effectively prevent, investigate, and punish sexual crimes in the digital environment,” he added. — NNN-MERCOPRESS
