The Social Democrats (SPD) in the German state of Saxony have proposed stricter penalties—including prison time—for verbal sexual harassment in public, such as “catcalling,” lewd comments, or whistling at women.
The motion calls for a nationwide regulation.
At the moment, such behaviour is not punishable, leaving many women feeling unprotected, according to the SDP.
One of their state politicians, Pia Heine, said everyday instances of catcalling are frequently dismissed as harmless but can cause significant discomfort. She stated that unless remarks are “clearly insulting or offensive,” perpetrators remain effectively unpunished.
The party wants to close this legal gap by defining non-physical sexual harassment as punishable under federal law.
The SPD’s draft law aligns with a similar October 2024 initiative from Lower Saxony, which stipulates that anyone who “harasses another person in a sexually determined manner, verbally or non-verbally” could face up to one year in prison or a fine.
The SPD’s push to criminalise behaviour like catcalling and flirtatious remarks marks a concerning escalation of political correctness into the realm of criminal law.
