Bundesrat Approves Reform of Domestic Violence Protection Act – Electronic Ankle Bracelets for High-Risk Cases

The core of the reform is the possibility of obligating potential perpetrators to wear an electronic ankle bracelet. Restraining orders are to be better monitored in high-risk cases. At the same time, those affected will be provided with an additional device that alerts them when the perpetrator approaches without authorization. The measures are modeled on Spain's example and are intended to better protect women in Germany from domestic violence.

What the Reform Specifically Provides

In addition, family courts will in the future be able to use a legal basis to compel perpetrators to participate in anti-violence courses. For risk assessments, they will be able to obtain information from the weapons register. For violations of protection orders, the maximum sentence will be increased from two to up to three years.

The background to the tightening is the high number of homicides in partnership contexts over many years. According to the Federal Criminal Police Office's national situation report, almost every day a woman in Germany is affected by an attempted or completed homicide by her partner or ex-partner. In 2024 alone, 132 women in Germany were killed by their partner or ex-partner.

Background: High Number of Femicides

A 2025 study by the University of Tübingen shows that so-called intimate partner femicide is the most common form in Germany. According to the study, most of these offenses are directly linked to an actual or anticipated separation. The "FemiziDE" study classifies many of these acts as femicides; in a relevant proportion of cases, a sexist motive was identified.

In parallel to the reform, the Bundesrat deliberated on an initiative by the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, and Hamburg aimed at more precisely anchoring gender-based motives in intentional homicides in the Criminal Code. The aim of the resolution is to unambiguously reflect in the Criminal Code the killing of women because of their gender or due to patriarchal structures – i.e., so-called femicides. Comparable cases are in practice sometimes classified as murder, sometimes as manslaughter.

Parallel Initiative to Refine Criminal Law

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's Minister of Justice Jaqueline Bernhardt (Die Linke) said it concerns cases in which women are killed because they wanted to separate or to live self-determined lives. This is not about symbolic politics, but about legal clarity. Lower Saxony's Minister of Justice Kathrin Wahlmann (SPD) stated: "Ein Femizid ist eine besonders verwerfliche Form geschlechtsspezifischer Gewalt und Ausdruck eines zutiefst frauenfeindlichen Weltbildes."

The Bundesrat referred the resolution for further deliberation to the committees. Hubig also pointed out that even more important than good laws is "dass wir Betroffenen konsequent signalisieren: Wir stehen an Eurer Seite." The reform will enter into force upon promulgation; the new instruments are to be made available gradually nationwide.