Germany adopts harsher Anti-Rape Law

(Vatican Radio) Germany's Parliament has passed a law that will make it easier for victims of rape and other sex crimes to file criminal complaints even if they did not fight back, clarifying that "no means no".

Thursday's vote was partly sparked by a recent nationwide outcry over sexual assaults that happened in the western city of Cologne during New Year's Eve celebrations. 

Listen to the report by Stefan Bos:

Legislation to tackle sex crimes more seriously was passed by an overwhelming majority in the Bundestag, Germany's parliament in the capital Berlin. German law previously required victims to show that they physically resisted attack before charges for rape and other sexual assaults could be brought. 

Women's rights campaigners argued that Germany's failure to recognize the principle of "no means no" was one of the main reasons for low reporting and conviction rates for rape in the country.

The new law classifies groping as a sex crime and makes it easier to prosecute assaults committed by a large group.

It also makes it easier to deport migrants who commit sex offences.

The law meant a political victory for Heiko Maas, the country's justice minister. He had expressed concern that only one in 10 rapes in Germany is reported and just 8 percent of rape trials result in convictions.

SEXUAL CRIMINAL LAW

He said "the sexual criminal law should remain the focus of our attention" however he made clear it was also important to close the current loopholes."  

Critics believe Germany has long lagged behind other developed nations when it comes to its rape laws with marital rape only being criminalized in 1997.  

The latest bill passed easily thanks to the government's large parliamentary majority. 

Opposition parties welcomed the lowering of the threshold for prosecutions, but criticized two measures in the legislation that could see people who aren't directly involved in the assault punished and foreigners deported for sexual harassment.

The legislation followed a public outcry over several recent incidents, including a wave wave of attacks during New Year's celebrations in Cologne linked to migrants. 

MANY COMPLAINTS 

Prosecutors in Cologne say they have received more than 1,100 criminal complaints following the New Year's assaults, including about 500 allegations involving sexual crimes. 

The first trial for sexual assault — against two men from Algeria and Iraq — began Thursday in Cologne.

Germans were also angry that two men were acquitted recently of drugging and raping German model Gina-Lisa Lohfink - despite having uploaded a video of what took place, in which she was reportedly heard saying, "Stop it, stop it" and "No".

Not only were the men cleared of wrongdoing, but the model was fined 24,000 euros ($27,000) for falsely testifying.

She has appealed against the charges.