Germany is considering enhanced protection measures for victims of domestic violence through the electronic monitoring of perpetrators.
A draft law proposed by Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig aims to empower family courts to mandate the use of electronic tagging for individuals convicted of domestic violence offenses. This system would alert victims via a receiver device when a perpetrator approaches a defined minimum distance. Simultaneously, law enforcement would be automatically notified of such breaches.
Currently, victims are responsible for directly informing the police of any violations of protective orders. The proposed legislation argues that electronic monitoring offers the potential for earlier intervention, as it detects proximity breaches before the perpetrator is in immediate contact with the victim, allowing for preventative measures to be taken.
The initiative seeks to establish a nationwide, standardized framework, building on existing regulations already implemented in several German states. Approximately 250,000 cases of domestic violence are officially recorded in Germany each year, a figure believed to be significantly underreported. The vast majority of those affected are women, with the Justice Ministry reporting that a woman is killed by her current or former partner every three days.
Beyond electronic monitoring, the draft law includes provisions for mandatory anti-violence training for perpetrators. Family courts would also be granted the authority to access weapons registry information to better assess the threat level posed by individuals subject to protective orders. Furthermore, violations of protective orders could face harsher penalties, with potential prison sentences increased from two to three years. The Justice Ministry aims for these new regulations to take effect by the end of 2026.
The proposal draws inspiration from a similar system implemented in Spain in 2009, where electronic tagging of perpetrators and optional receiver devices for victims have reportedly resulted in no fatalities among monitored victims since its introduction.
Hubig intends to restrict the use of electronic monitoring to “high-risk” cases. Initial monitoring periods would be capped at six months, with potential extensions of three months each if the court deems a continued threat exists.
