German police registered 17,126 cases of sexual abuse of children in 2025, up from 16,354 the previous year, while cases involving adolescents rose to 1,239, according to the latest police crime statistics. The total number of identified victims exceeded 20,000, with roughly three-quarters being female and about one-third of suspects under 18.
Offences linked to the production and distribution of youth pornographic material surged nearly 20 percent to 11,515 cases. Federal Criminal Police Office President Holger Münch expressed concern over a rise in livestreamed abuse, with the Philippines identified as a frequent location for such crimes. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt also commented on the findings.
More than half of suspects knew their child victims beforehand, with 22 percent being family members. Abuse without physical contact, including cybergrooming, showed a particularly sharp increase. The highest rates per capita were reported in Bremen, Berlin, and Thuringia.