Kerstin Claus, the Federal Commissioner for the Prevention of Sexual Child Abuse, is calling for immediate legislative changes to strengthen the protection of young people. In an interview with the Tagesspiegel, she stated that the current age of consent, set at 14 for sexual contact with adults, is too low. While she broadly welcomes the proposal by Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) to implement the “Only Yes means Yes” principle for minors, Claus stressed that this measure alone is not enough to effectively shield teenagers in the future.
Claus further pointed out significant deficiencies within the education system across Germany. She noted that schools are often unprepared to handle cases of sexual violence perpetrated by teachers. There is a widespread lack of knowledge, even among school administrations-which are responsible for disciplinary oversight of such charges-regarding offender strategies and patterns of abuse. She is demanding mandatory training in this area for all states.
Another major failing, according to Claus, is the silence of schools. Incidents are seldom adequately documented, and affected individuals rarely find support. Furthermore, schools rarely report these cases to the relevant accident insurance funds, despite the fact that victims may be entitled to therapy costs or pensions through these funds. Claus described this situation as a “scandal.”
To investigate the prevalence of such issues, she announced a nationwide survey targeting ninth-grade students regarding their experiences with violence. This drive follows a Tagesspiegel investigation into the alleged sexual abuse of several female students by a Berlin teacher. He is accused of sexually abusing the students between 2016 and 2021, with one case involving rape. The case is currently being heard in the Berlin Regional Court, with a verdict expected next Friday.
