In the debate over digital sexualised violence, the CDU/CSU coalition has urged Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) to take action.
“Federal Justice Minister Hubig can no longer afford to wait. She must finally present a practical and decisive draft law” said Susanne Hierl, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s spokesperson on legal affairs, to the “Tagesspiegel”. “It is long overdue to protect those who suffer from digital violence. The era of mere announcements must end”.
Hierl stressed that digital assaults are “as degrading and destructive for the victims as physical violence”. She noted that the coalition agreement specifically calls for a comprehensive Digital Violence Protection Act and that gaps in criminal liability-particularly for image‑based sexualised violence and deepfakes-must be closed.
The SPD also presses for stronger safeguards. “There must be no loopholes in protection” Carmen Wegge, the SPD’s parliamentary spokesperson for justice and consumer protection, told the “Tagesspiegel”. Within the SPD parliamentary group, the focus is on “enhanced criminal protection, better victim support, and clear accountability for platforms”. This includes consistently prosecuting identity misuse, deepfakes and other forms of digital sexualised violence, and ensuring that victims receive their rights more swiftly.
Wegge added that the Violence Protection Act currently in parliamentary review will “strengthen protection against violence overall” and that its principles must now be applied to the digital realm as well. She called for expedited legal procedures, specialised police and judicial units, and mandatory platform duties to not only remove harmful content but also preserve evidence.
“Digital violence reflects structural power imbalances” Wegge said. “Hence, it involves not only criminal law but also gender equality and effective protection of victims”. The SPD’s clear objective is that perpetrators of any form of violence-digital or otherwise-must be stopped, and those affected must be able to rely on the state.
