(de-news.net) – The German government is advancing a draft law to expand psychosocial and legal support for victims of serious crimes, with particular provisions for children, adolescents, and people with disabilities. The proposal also targets digital violence, including nonconsensual deepfakes and covert sexualized imaging, with penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment.
In support of a draft law put forward by Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD), the Federal Government has unveiled a series of measures aimed at strengthening psychosocial support for victims of crime. The proposed legislation is designed to facilitate access to free psychosocial care and legal assistance, particularly for children, adolescents, and individuals with disabilities who are affected by serious incidents of domestic abuse. Hubig positioned the initiative within a broader framework to enhance protection against violence, underscoring that intimate-partner abuse impacts millions of people across Germany, disproportionately affecting women, and that the overwhelming majority of such cases remain unreported, highlighting a persistent ‘dark figure’ of hidden violence that the policy seeks to address.
The draft legislation stipulates that minors and disabled victims would receive psychosocial support automatically, without the need to submit formal requests or demonstrate vulnerability. Adult victims of serious crimes would similarly qualify for free support without needing to prove exceptional circumstances. In addition, the legislation proposes increasing remuneration for psychosocial support providers to ensure the sustainability and continuity of services over the long term, acknowledging that stable funding is essential for the consistent delivery of professional care in complex and sensitive cases.
According to media reports, Hubig also intends to introduce three new provisions to the Criminal Code specifically targeting cyberviolence. Under the proposed rules, individuals who produce or distribute discrediting deepfakes, including nonconsensual pornographic content, or who secretly create or disseminate sexualized photographs, could face penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment. Similar punishments would apply to covert digital surveillance that may result in significant harm to the victim. Hubig emphasized that such digital acts constitute a form of violence capable of inflicting harm comparable to physical assault and framed them as a societal problem requiring a coordinated response, highlighting the ways in which emerging technologies can be exploited to intimidate, humiliate, or control others.
The German Judges Association has cautioned that merely strengthening isolated legal provisions is insufficient to tackle digital violence comprehensively. Its leadership pointed to the chronic understaffing of many public prosecutor offices, which frequently leads to premature dismissal of cases, and warned that as long as these structural deficits persist, government assurances of protection will remain largely symbolic. The association called for a nationwide, coordinated effort to address the structural and operational obstacles that currently limit the enforcement of cyberviolence legislation.
Prominent women present ten-point plan as demonstrations highlight public concern
In parallel, a coalition of prominent women has presented a ten-point plan to the federal government aimed at combating male-perpetrated violence. Endorsed by politicians, cultural figures, and activists, the plan advocates criminalizing the production of nonconsensual sexualized deepfakes, establishing a comprehensive digital violence protection law that includes rapid content removal and the identification of perpetrators, and banning applications that allow individuals to be virtually undressed in photographs. The proposal further calls for a legal definition of femicide and the codification of the principle of affirmative consent in sexual offense legislation, reinforcing accountability for sexual acts carried out without explicit consent.
Demonstrations reflecting these concerns took place at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, where thousands of participants gathered to protest sexualized digital violence. Attendance substantially exceeded expectations, demonstrating the intensity of public concern. Organizers sought to draw attention to structural deficiencies and gaps in existing legal protections, while public figures underscored the prevalence of sexual, physical, and psychological abuse within society. The demonstrations emphasized the need for a collective, societal response to dismantle the so-called “walls of silence” that shield offenders and prevent victims from obtaining justice, framing the issue as both a legal and cultural challenge requiring sustained engagement across multiple sectors.
