Are restraints an effective deterrent against violent acts towards females?
Date: 31.05.2025, 17:54
The Federal Minister of Justice, Stefanie Hubig, has proposed a nationwide implementation of electronic ankle bracelets for domestic violence perpetrators. These devices aim to protect potential victims by triggering alarms if the perpetrator approaches too closely.
German crime statistics reveal that every three minutes, a woman or girl experiences domestic violence. The brutality inflicted includes injuries, beatings, threats, stalking, sexual assault, and even homicide, often perpetrated by partners or former partners. In North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) alone, 51 fatalities from domestic violence were reported in the previous year.
In an effort to combat this alarming trend, the newly appointed Minister of Justice, Stefanie Hubig, intends to improve protection for women. "We must strive to allow women to live free from violence," Hubig asserted in a statement to the "Rheinische Post."
In response, family courts will soon be granted the power to order electronic ankle bracelets for perpetrators. Germany is currently considering such a legislative regulation at the federal level, with a draft law proposed by Hubig for this year.
The electronic ankle bracelets in question, modeled after the Spanish system, involve a transmitter worn by the perpetrator that sends continuous location data to a monitoring center. Advanced technology in the Spanish model also equips potential victims with a tracker, similar to a smartwatch, which alerts them when the offender approaches restricted zones. The system utilizes GPS receivers to monitor the distance between the two parties.
Since the introduction of these electronic ankle bracelets in Spain, the number of female homicides has decreased. In nearly 13,000 monitored cases spanning over the past 13 years, no further female homicides have been reported.
While some, such as Asha Hedayati, a family law attorney, support this technology, they emphasize that it should form part of a comprehensive approach to addressing domestic violence. Hedayati explained, "It's oversimplified to present the ankle monitor as the sole solution." The Spanish model, according to Hedayati, encompasses a broader approach addressing the root causes of violence and providing comprehensive support for victims.
Crucial to this comprehensive support are adequate resources for victims, such as safe housing and women's shelters. In Germany, there is a shortage of 14,000 places across the country while North Rhine-Westphalia specifically lacks approximately 1,200 places in state-funded women's shelters.
Additionally, help is available through the "Helpline for Women's Violence" (116016), which offers confidential telephone counseling 24/7 in 18 languages. Upon request, the call may remain anonymous, and there is no charge associated with it. The website www.hilfetelefon.de also provides chat counseling in German.
Sources: Ministry of Justice NRW, Federal Criminal Police Office Statistics, Interview with lawyer Asha Hedayati, dpa news agency, White Ring - Aid Organization for Crime Victims.
Further reporting on this topic will be provided on our website on May 31, 2025, in the Current Hour.
- In line with the proposal of Stefanie Hubig, the Minister of Justice, the concept of using electronic ankle bracelets akin to the Spanish system in the field of health-and-wellness, particularly for mental-health and women's health, could potentially be considered as an additional measure to enhance protection and provide early alerts for potential victims of domestic violence.
- The scientific study of domestic violence victims in the health-and-wellness sector, including mental-health and women's health, might reveal valuable insights into the effectiveness of technology like electronic ankle bracelets in conjunction with comprehensive approaches addressing the root causes of domestic violence and improving support systems for victims.
