Deputy premier of North Rhine‑Westphalia, Mona Neubaur of the Greens, praised Collien Fernandes for publicly sharing her experience.
In an op‑ed for the “Rheinische Post”, Neubaur called Fernandes a “brave woman” and said that her step sends a powerful signal to other women who stay silent out of fear of what may happen to those who speak out.
Neubaur warned that deepfakes are no longer a niche problem and criticized the lagging legislation. She noted that anyone who posts a fabricated, sexualised image of a woman online destroys her dignity and safety, often producing effects comparable to physical violence. “Criminal law must reflect this; we therefore aim to reform sexual‑offence legislation so that digital and physical violence are treated equally” she wrote, adding that significant gaps still exist in the law regarding deepfakes and must be closed.
She also said that specialized courts for both analog and digital sexual violence are needed, as elsewhere such courts already exist. “In Spain, for example, where Collien Fernandes is now filing a lawsuit” Neubaur explained. She underscored that German women who file complaints deserve a system that is properly trained and does not make them feel as though they are effectively on the defendant’s side.
