Introduction to a Brave Stand
On a day in February of this year, 30-year-old advertising engineer Yanni Gentsch was traveling alone in a park in Cologne. When she looked back, she noticed that a cyclist followed her and filmed her with his smartphone. Gentsch confronted the man and forced him to delete the film material. In her part, she took out her smartphone and filmed the perpetrator.
Confronting the Perpetrator
Her own film material shows that this voyeur appears to be overwhelmed by her determination to hold him accountable. He apologizes and claims that "nothing happened" while ultimately blaming her. "Why do you wear such pants?" He said to blame the victim. Gentsch replied with a simple statement that has become the slogan of her movement: "My clothes are not an invitation!" The video has become viral since then, with more than 16 million views on Instagram. It also triggered a wave of solidarity.
The Legal Battle
Gentsch wanted to file charges, but learned that this was not possible under German law. Overall, to film someone is only a criminal offense if it contains their private parts, which means that "upskiring" (films under a skirt) or filming bare skin is a crime. However, filming dressed body parts is not forbidden, even if it is deliberately filmed for sexual purposes. But Gentsch does not withdraw. She started a petition entitled "Make Voyeuristic Recordings a Crime" that had more than 125,000 signatures at the time of writing.
The Petition
The central demand of the petition is that the German Criminal Code is changed to create secret records that are sexually motivated – regardless of whether nudity is involved. "The current legal framework protects perpetrators, not victims," writes Gentsch in the petition. "Secret filming is a abuse of power: the shame is on the perpetrators." On August 25, Gentsch personally handed over her petition to the Federal Minister of Justice Minister and the Minister of Justice in her state in North Rhine-Westphalia, Benjamin Limbach.
Sexual Harassment in Germany
In November, the Minister of Justice will meet an annual conference in all German countries and will probably discuss a change from the Criminal Code. Limbach is for the change. "Our law has to draw a clear line if parts of the body are secretly filmed or photographed for sexual purposes or against the will of a person," he said. The Gentsch initiative triggered a national conversation and not only on social media, but also in national newspapers, radio stations and even in Prime Time News. This is partly due to Gentsch’s ability to articulate everyday reality for almost all women in Germany. According to a study by 2022 at Merseburg University of Applied Sciences, nine out of ten respondents have experienced a form of sexual harassment in public space.
The Impact of the Movement
When handing over her petition, Gentsch made it clear: "Sexual harassment is never harmless, but the first step in a spiral of violence." The movement has sparked a wave of solidarity, with many women sharing their own experiences of sexual harassment. The petition has also led to a national conversation about the need for a change in the law to protect victims of sexual harassment. Gentsch’s bravery and determination have inspired many women to speak out and demand change. The movement is a step towards creating a safer and more respectful society for all women.
