A trans-identified male in Switzerland is facing charges of child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation after persistently molesting his two stepchildren over the course of 9 years. The man, who cannot be named due to his proximity to the victims, is also facing charges of public exhibitionism and social insurance fraud.
According to local reports, the trial commenced on September 4 at a court in Burgdorf and features a slew of highly disturbing elements, including cross-dressing and BDSM. As per the indictment, the man, who was the long-term life partner of the victims’ mother, regularly sexually abused his two underage stepdaughters.
Between 2009 and 2018, the man lived with the girls’ mother, during which time he had access to her children. On Saturdays and Sundays, he’d sleep in the eldest daughter’s bed, pinning her between his body and the wall. The girl would be forced to endure gropes to her vagina and breasts, with the indictment stating that the “accused sometimes only wore sexy lingerie, possibly only a thong/string” while the abuse took place. The exact age of the older daughter is unknown, but she was attending Swiss Grade 5, during which time children are usually 11-12 years of age.
The man had a particular proclivity for BDSM, and often subjected the older daughter to “bondage sessions.” According to 20 Minuten, he would practice Japanese shibari, a form of rope bondage initially developed as a torture and interrogation method for prisoners of war, in order to tie the girl’s hands and legs together, while also blindfolding her. The “bondage session” would also sometimes include the girl being suspended from a specially-made bamboo stick in his room.
The defense attorney attempted to argue that there was “no sexual context” involved when the man bound the girls with rope, claiming that shibari is practiced for “aesthetic” and “artistic” purposes. However, the accused admitted to groping the girls’ bodies while they were bound.
The younger of the victims, who was approximately 4 years old at the start of the abuses, took the stand on Monday to describe the trauma that she had been left with as a result of the sexual exploitation.
“Even when I am addressed in a slightly aggressive tone, I sometimes start to cry,” the victim told the court, noting that she struggles with her self-image as a result of the abuse.
The younger victim also described being groomed by her stepfather, who would often attempt to create tension between her and her sister by treating them differently. Both of the victims express that they attempted to earn their stepfather’s “kindness” by allowing him to subject them to abuse.
When participating in the “bondage sessions,” during which the girl would have been 6-7 years old, she explains she thought it was a game at the time.
The girls’ mother, who is also being charged in this case, reportedly didn’t notice the sexual abuse until long after it had begun. The mother worked full-time while the girls’ stepfather was often at home alone with them. The older daughter, who is now 19, did not report the extent of the sexual abuse to her mother until just before she moved out of the house.
The victims’ mother is facing charges largely related to complacency, but currently maintains a “very good relationship” with her daughters. During the hearing on Monday, she asserted that she was unaware of the extent of the abuse and has not had contact with her ex-partner for a long time.
As per court minutes, the man was described as wearing “clothing typical of women,” though he was addressed as a man during proceedings because he was not yet registered as female.
“The accused says he has been wearing typical women’s clothing such as skirts and stockings for five or six years. However, his internal gender conflict had already existed for 10-15 years. He now clearly feels like he belongs to the female gender,” reported 20 Minuten.
During Monday’s hearing, the man admitted to having given one of the girls, who was 13 at the time, a dildo, but claimed he had done it so she would “stop biting her nails.” He also said he had intended for her to use the dildo for “relaxing massages.”
When one of the victims described having to model bras and underwear for him, he again dismissed the sexual undertone, instead stating he was helping the minor find bras which offered adequate support.
The hearing continued into Tuesday, when the prosecutor asserted he would be seeking 45 months in prison for the man, but no prison time for the mother, even if she is found guilty of allowing the abuse to continue. Compensation of 20,000 Swiss Francs (approx. $22,000 USD) per victim is also being requested.
In response, the man’s defense lawyer accused the prosecutor of having a “personal problem” with his client, insisting “massive exaggerations” of abuse had been presented. The lawyer also stated that “no evidence” existed that the girls had in fact been sexually abused, and that the accusations were based only on their testimony.
The mother’s defense representative, however, is seeking a full acquittal.
At the end of Tuesday’s hearing, the man refuted that any abuse had taken place, while the mother fully accepted what had happened to her daughters and apologized to them, stating: “I’m really sorry for everything that happened. If I had known, I would have prevented it.”
The verdicts in the case will be announced on Thursday.
Switzerland is known for being particularly liberal when it comes to gender self-identification law. In January of 2022, it became one of the few countries on the European continent which allowed total self-declaration of gender for all Swiss residents over the age of 16. Individuals did not have to be on a hormone regimen or undergo surgery to change their legally registered sex and name.
Gender identity is a protected characteristic in Switzerland, and there are known cases of trans-identified males being transferred to women’s prisons on the basis of self-declared gender alone.
In 2022, a trans-identified male incarcerated for arson was placed in a women’s prison in Dielsdorf after the head of the institution said placement was “about identity.” The prison manager continued: “The woman has not taken any gender-adjusting measures. But for us she is a woman.”
The trans-identified male eventually requested a transfer back to the men’s estate after facing “discrimination” from female inmates.