Sexual violence against children – committed by women? Research results that have so far received little attention show that in one in five cases of abuse, a woman is the perpetrator. Law enforcement agencies, youth welfare offices and courts still overlook female perpetrators, which has fatal consequences for those affected – as in the so-called “Staufen case” near Freiburg, which shook the whole country a few years ago. The film shows the systematic nature of female abuse. Content note: This video is about child abuse by women. If this topic is emotionally stressful for you, then consider not watching it. If you are affected yourself, we have provided links to help offers below. You are not alone! Research results that have so far received little attention show that in up to 20% of cases, i.e. one in five cases of abuse, a woman is the perpetrator. Scientists and therapists warn of a “blind spot” in our society. Law enforcement agencies, youth welfare offices and courts continue to overlook female perpetrators, which has fatal consequences for those affected - as in the so-called "Staufen case" near Freiburg, which shook the whole country a few years ago. At that time, a mother and her partner abused her own son - and sold him to other perpetrators on the darknet. At the time, the authorities were primarily looking at the man - only later did investigations show that the child's mother had committed particularly serious crimes. "The Staufen case really brought the taboo of the abuser into the public eye for the first time," says the renowned child protection worker Julia von Weiler. The "SWR Story" documentary traces the misjudgments made by the police and authorities. For the first time, a senior criminal investigator speaks about his own misjudgments of the mother's role in the case. "Something like that was unimaginable for us until then," says the police officer. Experts such as Prof. Jörg Fegert, head of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University Hospital in Ulm, consider it possible that prosecutors overlooked other perpetrators before Staufen and did not help those affected. Sex researchers at the University Hospital in Hamburg interviewed victims for a qualitative study. They found that in 90% of cases the victims did not report the incident to the police for fear that no one would believe them. But in 62% of cases the perpetrator was their own mother! "The myth of the good mother, which is deeply rooted in our society, prevents even experts from taking a proper look," says Julia von Weiler. SWR author Sebastian Bellwinkel's research also refutes police statements that women "almost never" consume images of abuse, so-called child pornography. In fact, they are also far more represented in production and distribution than previously assumed. The film also examines the question of how those affected can deal with their trauma. Michael Reh, a victim who is now 60 years old, speaks in detail and movingly about his journey from being a child abused for years to becoming a survivor. Thanks to therapy and clear messages from his family, he has found his way and is now trying to help other victims and their families as an activist and book author. Where can I turn if I or someone I know is affected by sexual abuse? https://www.hilfe-portal-missbrauch.d... Further information on the topic: • https://innocenceindanger.de/ • https://www.uke.de/kliniken-institute... • https://www.bmfsfj.de/bmfsfj/themen/k.... • https://www.hilfe-portal-missbrauch.d... • https://sexualisierte-gewalt.elearnin... This documentary by Sebastian Bellwinkel from the series: SWR Story has the original title: Taboo in Taboo - Child abuse by women, broadcast date: October 19, 2023. #swrdoku #swr All statements and facts correspond to the status at the time and have not been updated since then. Subscribe to the channel: / swrdoku You can find more documentaries on our channel or in the ARD Mediathek at https://www.ardmediathek.de/dokus