Investigating a Rape Network: BDK Proposes Central Bureau at BKA

Investigating a Rape Network: BDK Proposes Central Bureau at BKA

The Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), Germany's federal investigative police agency, has been under scrutiny following allegations of a lack of action against an international rapist network. The network, operating on public porn sites and Telegram groups, is said to have been exchanging information on how to incapacitate and rape women without detection for years.

In July 2023, journalists alerted the BKA to the suspects' user profiles and the existence of this network, but no investigation was conducted for over a year. This delay has raised concerns about the BKA's response to such serious crimes.

STRG_F, a German investigative journalism outfit, uncovered a multi-year undercover investigation revealing the existence of this international rapist network. The research, detailed in two films titled "The Rapist Network on Telegram" and "We Find the Perpetrators" available on the ARD Mediathek and STRG_F's YouTube channel, has sparked calls for action from various quarters.

Jan Reinecke from the Bund Deutscher Kriminalbeamter (BDK) has advocated for proactive investigations into such networks, likening them to pedophile networks that already receive dedicated attention. He also calls for the urgent establishment of a central office at the BKA to address these networks effectively.

The Hamburg police and interior authority have taken steps towards this goal, filing criminal charges against participants in a Telegram group and forwarding them to the respective competent authorities, including Poland, Finland, Great Britain, and the USA.

However, there is currently no verified evidence found in publicly accessible sources that a specifically named "Central office for international rapist networks" at the BKA has been publicly established or evaluated for effectiveness. If such a unit or office exists within the BKA, it would likely be part of broader departments addressing organized crime or sexual offenses.

For authoritative details, one would need to consult official BKA publications or government communications. The Hamburg police and BDK's calls for a dedicated office underscore the need for a more robust response to the threat posed by these networks.

The public can learn more about the investigation through a broadcast on Das Erste on 10.07. at 21:45 and around 23:00 in the ARD Mediathek. The woman who was a victim of this network only learned about the years of drugging and rape through a house search at the end of 2024. The perpetrators' actions are described as "potentially life-threatening for the victims."

1. The lack of a Central office for international rapist networks within the BKA (Bundeskriminalamt) has become a topic of discussion in the general news, as calls for action from institutions like Jan Reinecke from the Bund Deutscher Kriminalbeamter (BDK) highlight the need for such a unit to address these networks effectively.
2. As the investigation into the international rapist network continues, the need for collaboration in health-and-wellness and sexual-health has surfaced; for instance, providing resources and support to victims who have endured years of drugging and rape.
3. As the widespread nature of this network is unveiled, with suspects operating on public porn sites and Telegram groups, the crime-and-justice community observes alarming parallels to established pedophile networks and advocates for a proactive response from law enforcement agencies like the BKA.

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