In Lviv Oblast, a man was convicted of sexually assaulting his stepsister
A resident of the Lviv region was sentenced to six years in prison for sexually assaulting his underage stepsister. At the time of the crime, the girl was 13 years old. Prosecutors from the Zhovkva District Prosecutor’s Office proved the 21-year-old man’s guilt in court.
The investigation and the court established that the crime occurred in August of last year, while the girl was spending her summer vacation at her father’s home. The man had remarried and was living with his wife and her adult son from a previous marriage.
One night, the stepbrother, taking advantage of the child’s helpless state and his physical superiority, used force to commit sexual acts against her.
The victim was only able to stop him after prolonged pleading and begging. Afterward, he threatened the girl and demanded that she not tell anyone what had happened.
The child mustered the courage to tell her mother about the ordeal nearly two months later. The woman then contacted law enforcement.
Prosecutors from the Zhovkiv District Prosecutor’s Office proved the 21-year-old man’s guilt under Part 4 of Article 153 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—sexual assault.
The court sentenced the defendant to six years in prison. Since being notified of the charges, the man has been in custody and will remain there until the verdict becomes final.
In addition, once the verdict becomes final, information about the convicted man will be entered into the Unified Register of Persons Convicted of Crimes Against the Sexual Freedom and Sexual Integrity of Minors.
Prosecutor Volodymyr Sitek, who handled the case, emphasized that children are often afraid to speak out about sexual abuse even to those closest to them due to threats, fear, or confusion.
“In such crimes, children are often afraid to confide even in those closest to them due to fear, threats, or confusion. It is very important to remember: any unlawful actions against a child are the perpetrator’s fault. That is why it is important for adults to build trusting relationships with children so that they are not afraid to share what they have experienced. Protecting children’s rights and ensuring punishment for anyone who violates a child’s sexual integrity is and will remain a fundamental priority of our work,” noted Volodymyr Sitek.
The pretrial investigation was conducted by Police Station No. 1 of the Lviv District Police Department No. 1 of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Lviv Oblast.
The verdict will become final after the appeal period has expired.
This was reported by the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
Earlier, a resident of the Ovruch community in Zhytomyr Oblast was sentenced to 2 years and 1 month in prison for failing to comply with court-ordered restrictive measures. Prosecutors from the Korosten District Prosecutor’s Office represented the prosecution in the case. The man was found guilty under Article 390-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
In the Kherson region, a foster father was sentenced to life in prison for abusing seven girls.
In the Ternopil region, a man received a 15-year sentence for sexually assaulting his niece.
