Criminal law counteraction to the sexual exploitation of minors by parents and individuals responsible for their safety

Nikolay Parshin

VAK Russia

5.1.4

CRIMINAL LAW COUNTERACTION TO THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORS BY PARENTS AND INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR SAFETY Criminal law counteraction to the sexual exploitation of minors by parents and individuals responsible for their safety

АА Аа

Published in Vestnik of the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia · Pages 136–150 · Rubric: CRIMINAL LAW SCIENCES

Received: 10.02.2026 Accepted: 25.06.2026 Published: 30.06.2026 Language of publication: RUS

Authors

Nikolay Parshin

ORCID

Nikolay Parshin

Russian Federation

ORCID

ABSTRACT

Introduction. The relevance of the topic is determined by the need to reconsider the provisions of Article 240 “Involvement in Prostitution” and Article 241 “Organisation of Prostitution” of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (hereinafter – CC RF). The current version contains a systemic gap: it does not provide for the differentiation of responsibility depending on the special status of the perpetrator of the crime. This places the actions of a pimp and a parent or guardian, who involve and exploit their own child for sexual purposes, on the same level, which contradicts the logic of criminal law, the historical experience of domestic law, statistics on serious crimes against the sexual inviolability and freedom of children, as well as the international obligations of the Russian Federation. The existing approaches in international law and foreign practice regarding the criminalisation of acts related to the sexual exploitation of children committed by parents, guardians, and other individuals responsible for their safety are analysed. Methods. To address the tasks set, a range of scientific methods has been employed in accordance with the nature of the problem under investigation. The methods utilised include: historical-legal – for reconstructing the genesis of the responsibility of special subjects; formal-legal – for doctrinal criticism of the provisions of Articles 240–241 CC RF; comparative-legal – for identifying effective foreign legislative models; analysis of international acts – to verify the compliance of national norms with international standards; and analysis of judicial practice – to substantiate theoretical propositions with materials from criminal cases. The results are both theoretical and applied in nature. The author has identified a historical precedent for the criminal responsibility of parents and guardians in pre-revolutionary law and its loss in Soviet law; confirmed the existence of an internal systemic contradiction between Articles 240–241 CC RF and related offences against minors (Articles 1271, 150, 151 CC RF); established, through empirical data and judicial practice, a high degree of social danger posed by the actions of special subjects; and demonstrated the inconsistency of domestic norms with the imperatives of international law. An original amendment to the aggravating circumstance under consideration has been proposed for inclusion in Articles 240–241 CC RF.

KEYWORDS

child prostitution, sexual exploitation, involvement in prostitution, organisation of prostitution, child, parents, guardians, conventions, comparative criminal law

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GOST

Parshin N. M. Criminal law counteraction to the sexual exploitation of minors by parents and individuals responsible for their safety // . 2026. pp. 136-150. (Date of access 19.08.2026).

MLA

Nikolay Parshin. "Criminal law counteraction to the sexual exploitation of minors by parents and individuals responsible for their safety." (2026): 136-150.

APA

Parshin N. M. (2026). Criminal law counteraction to the sexual exploitation of minors by parents and individuals responsible for their safety. , 136-150.

Chicago

Nikolay Parshin. "Criminal law counteraction to the sexual exploitation of minors by parents and individuals responsible for their safety." , no. (2026): 136-150.

WIKI

{{cite journal | author = Parshin N. M. | title = Criminal law counteraction to the sexual exploitation of minors by parents and individuals responsible for their safety | journal = | year = 2026 | pages = 136-150 }}

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CRIMINAL LAW COUNTERACTION TO THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORS BY PARENTS AND INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR SAFETY Criminal law counteraction to the sexual exploitation of minors by parents and individuals responsible for their safety

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