Lisa Paus in the early start
“Sidewalk harassment” will be banned
January 24, 2024, 12:12 p.m
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For years, so-called sidewalk harassment of women who want to have an abortion has occurred again and again. With a law, the traffic light wants to prevent abortion opponents from harassing women.
Women are increasingly being harassed in front of counseling centers and doctors’ offices by anti-abortion protesters protesting there. “It happens that they are insulted, that they are denied access because obstacles are set up in which false allegations are shouted at them,” said Federal Family Minister Lisa Paus in the early start of ntv. The Green politician wants to protect women with stricter laws.
Their draft law stipulates that these are administrative offenses that can be punished with a fine of up to 5,000 euros, said Paus. “We didn’t know about the phenomenon in Germany before, but it has increased in recent years.” The draft law is on the Federal Cabinet’s agenda today.
This is a terrible situation for every single woman affected. Pregnant women are faced with one of the most difficult decisions anyway. “And that’s why we’re now clarifying this with this bill and thereby making it possible for women to actually have good access to these facilities again in this particularly difficult situation.”
In 2022, 103,927 abortions were counted in Germany. It is unclear how many women are affected by so-called sidewalk harassment. The crime has not yet been recorded by police crime statistics.
The law does not prevent abortion opponents from gathering in front of relevant facilities. “Of course, the right to assembly and freedom of expression apply in Germany,” the Federal Minister for Family Affairs made clear. “It’s about the fact that when individual people specifically harass women, specifically hinder their right to seek advice, specifically shock them with false claims or with horror images that it’s not okay.”