Police to organize `sexual violence investigation department`

The Korean police force plans to organize a sexual crimes control tower to oversee sexual violence investigations and research measures to address them. The police force said on Friday that it would expand all of its units in its current units to investigate sexual violence crimes into a sexual violence address department.

The new department will handle the general sexual molestation cries and research of preventative methods of the police stations nationwide. The police had organized sexual violence special investigative unit to probe sexual molestation of children and the disabled in 17 provincial police agencies last year. This year, it has established departments dedicated to sexual violence in 126 police stations around the nation. Given sexual violence investigative offices have become larger, the oversight unit has been expanded into a main department of the head office.

The expansion of this organization has taken place in response to increased sexual crimes. Domestic sexual crimes have increased from 22,933 cases in 2012 to 28,786 cases last year and 25,730 cases as of October this year, increasing each year.

The police administration plans to deploy 485 personnel dedicated to sexual violence response measures and the launch of the department to prevent repeat crimes by sexual molesters and provide counseling and medical, and legal support. A police official said, "Since one united department will operate the investigations and crackdown of sexual crimes and victim counseling and legal support, investigations and prevention will be effective."