<p>Berlin: Germany plans to treat the use of date rape drugs like the use of a weapon in prosecutions, as part of broader measures to ensure justice for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, said Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt on Friday.</p><p>"We classify date rape drugs, which are increasingly used as a widespread tool in crimes, as weapons. This creates the basis for significantly stricter prosecutions," he said.</p><p>"We are committed to clear consequences and consistent enforcement: Women should feel safe and be able to move freely everywhere," Dobrindt said at a press conference.</p><p>Nearly 54,000 women and girls were the victims of sexual offences in Germany in 2024 - an increase of 2.1% on the previous year - of which nearly 36% were victims of rape and sexual assault.</p><p>A parliamentary debate over a bill calling for a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence for the use of date rape drugs in sexual assaults was postponed last month.</p><p><strong>Domestic violence incidents at a high record</strong></p><p>As part of that commitment to protect women, the German government has also increased its focus on domestic violence, which mostly affects women, said Dobrindt.</p><p>Police last year registered a record high of almost 266,000 domestic violence victims, a 3.8% increase on the previous year.</p>.Ceding land to stopping Kyiv from joining NATO: Delving into Trump's 28-point peace plan to end Ukraine-Russia war .<p>However, federal criminal police chief Holger Muench pointed out that there were a high number of unreported cases.</p><p>"We must work to ensure that more victims find the courage to report crimes in order to improve the protection and support for victims," he said at the same press conference.</p><p>Although there is no uniform federal definition for femicide in Germany, nearly 1,200 women and girls were recorded as victims of homicide or attempted homicide in 2024, a slight decrease on the year.</p><p>The German government this week approved a draft law allowing the use of electronic ankle monitors to track perpetrators of domestic violence.</p><p>Victims can also request a separate device to warn them when the perpetrator is nearby.</p><p>Dobrindt said the government had also secured funding for the national rollout of an app allowing domestic abuse victims to secretly document abuse incidents to be used later in court.</p>
<p>Berlin: Germany plans to treat the use of date rape drugs like the use of a weapon in prosecutions, as part of broader measures to ensure justice for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, said Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt on Friday.</p><p>"We classify date rape drugs, which are increasingly used as a widespread tool in crimes, as weapons. This creates the basis for significantly stricter prosecutions," he said.</p><p>"We are committed to clear consequences and consistent enforcement: Women should feel safe and be able to move freely everywhere," Dobrindt said at a press conference.</p><p>Nearly 54,000 women and girls were the victims of sexual offences in Germany in 2024 - an increase of 2.1% on the previous year - of which nearly 36% were victims of rape and sexual assault.</p><p>A parliamentary debate over a bill calling for a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence for the use of date rape drugs in sexual assaults was postponed last month.</p><p><strong>Domestic violence incidents at a high record</strong></p><p>As part of that commitment to protect women, the German government has also increased its focus on domestic violence, which mostly affects women, said Dobrindt.</p><p>Police last year registered a record high of almost 266,000 domestic violence victims, a 3.8% increase on the previous year.</p>.Ceding land to stopping Kyiv from joining NATO: Delving into Trump's 28-point peace plan to end Ukraine-Russia war .<p>However, federal criminal police chief Holger Muench pointed out that there were a high number of unreported cases.</p><p>"We must work to ensure that more victims find the courage to report crimes in order to improve the protection and support for victims," he said at the same press conference.</p><p>Although there is no uniform federal definition for femicide in Germany, nearly 1,200 women and girls were recorded as victims of homicide or attempted homicide in 2024, a slight decrease on the year.</p><p>The German government this week approved a draft law allowing the use of electronic ankle monitors to track perpetrators of domestic violence.</p><p>Victims can also request a separate device to warn them when the perpetrator is nearby.</p><p>Dobrindt said the government had also secured funding for the national rollout of an app allowing domestic abuse victims to secretly document abuse incidents to be used later in court.</p>