MOSCOW, February 14 (RAPSI) – A bill stipulating life sentence for child molesters has been submitted to the State Duma, according to the press service of the lower house’s MP Irina Yarovaya.

The bill is aimed to enhance measures for children protection, the statement reads.

The draft law also suspends a statute of limitations for crimes against children until they attain the age of majority.

Commission of sexual crimes against children by family members and distribution of materials with sexual content and inducing minors to sex through the Internet would be considered as aggravating circumstances, the initiative reads.

Moreover, the bill stipulates penalties for concealment of these serious crimes.

According to the Investigative Committee’s statistics, the number of sexual abuse of children has increased. In 2017, investigators opened 7,011 criminal cases over sexual crimes against minors as compared to 5,835 in 2016.