Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Justice Ministers Set Vote on Criminalizing Secret Filming, Street Harassment, and Rape-Video Possession

Public pressure following a Cologne case pushed the issue onto the agenda.

Overview

  • North Rhine-Westphalia and Hamburg are formally submitting a proposal at the Leipzig meeting to penalize covert voyeuristic recordings and sexist street harassment to close gaps in the Strafgesetzbuch.
  • Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig has announced a forthcoming draft law to capture forms of digital voyeurism under criminal law.
  • Lower Saxony is pushing a separate measure to criminalize possession and distribution of real rape videos of adults, prompted by an NDR investigation into a global network sharing assault footage.
  • Current law does not prohibit mere possession of adult rape videos, and legal scholars urge precise definitions and favor tightening Section 184a StGB over rushing new standalone offenses.
  • NRW parties from CDU, SPD, Greens, and FDP express broad support, while the AfD warns against overreach, as proponents cite protection of sexual self-determination and reduced re-traumatization for victims.