Loopholes in Germany’s penal code allow upskirting — the act of secretly taking images under a person’s clothes without consent — to go unpunished. The movement against upskirting is picking up steam across Europe.
Written by Deutsche Welle
Germany’s Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht plans to present a law that would make upskirting — the act of secretly taking images under a person’s clothes without consent — a criminal offense, she said on Thursday.
“The term upskirting hides a disgusting intrusion into women’s privacy … And that’s why I’m determined to tackle the issue and change the legal situation,” said Lambrecht.
The practice of taking photos of a person under their skirt is currently categorised as a misdemeanor in Germany, unless the victim is verbally insulted or physically abused, in which case it is upgraded to a criminal offense. If the photos damage the reputation of the victim, the offender can be fined or imprisoned for up to two years.
This categorisation does not make it clear to perpetrators that their “humiliating and degrading behavior” is unacceptable, Lambrecht told German broadcaster RND.
