The queer umbrella organization LSVD+ has, in response to the draft bill (PDF) on a law against digital violence, called for improvements.
“The draft recognizes that digital violence is often gender-specific. However, this concerns not only cisgender women and girls,” explained Florian Winkler-Schwarz, managing director of the LSVD+-state association for Berlin-Brandenburg. “Trans women, trans men, intersex and non-binary people, as well as queer people overall, are disproportionately affected by digital violence, hate speech, sexualized attacks, deepfakes, deadnaming, misgendering, and targeted intimidation. These groups must be explicitly named and protected in the law.”
LSVD+-federal board member Alva Träbert therefore called for protective provisions to be formulated in gender-neutral terms. “If they rely exclusively on binary concepts of bodies and gender, they repeatedly endanger people who need protection,” said Träbert. “Likewise, there is a need for low-threshold counseling services, reliably funded support structures with LGBTQIA+ expertise, better access to legal protection, and a standing-to-sue right for associations representing civil society.”
The draft bill by Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) envisions that people who experience hate online, sexual harassment, or other forms of digital violence will in the future be able to take action more easily against the perpetrators (TheColu.mn reported).
