The German Federal Minister of Justice, Stefanie Hubig, has announced plans to strengthen measures against instances of what are referred to as “sham paternity” acknowledgements. Speaking to “Welt am Sonntag” Minister Hubig stated that discussions revealed this practice poses a significant issue in certain cities. These acknowledgements, where men recognize children born to other women, are reportedly being exploited to facilitate residency permits for mothers and children in Germany.
Hubig characterized some of these situations as having devolved into a “business model” emphasizing that such exploitative practices are unacceptable and contradicting agreements made within the ruling coalition. The focus will be on preventing the misuse of paternity acknowledgements.
Alongside this, the Minister elaborated on plans to criminalize verbal sexual harassment. The proposed legislation aims to address instances of verbal violence that individuals should not be subjected to. Hubig clarified that this isn’s about poorly delivered compliments but rather targets vulgar and harsh shouts that significantly impact the recipients. The aim is to sanction behaviors that intimidate, harass, or demean women, acknowledging that not every breach of decorum warrants criminalization – for example, catcalling would not be targeted.
Hubig also advocated for a reform of family law, highlighting the need to modernize legislation to reflect contemporary societal realities. A specific proposal concerns the legal framework for lesbian couples, where she champions the possibility of what is termed “co-parenthood”. Currently, in Germany, when a child is born to a woman in a same-sex partnership, the partner must formally adopt the child in order to legally become a parent. This process extends even when the sperm donor does not assume parental responsibility. Hubig expressed her view that this system requires amendment.
