Electronic ankle bracelets in Hesse: New protection against domestic violence!

Electronic ankle bracelets in Hesse: New protection against domestic violence!

Hessen took an important step in the fight against domestic violence with the introduction of the Spanish model. The first sponsor of this new technology is a perpetrator from Kassel, who molested a woman from the district of the Kassel district court over a longer period of time. The ankle bondage must first be worn for four months. Hessen follows a successful example from Spain, where similar systems are already implemented.

The Spanish model differs from the previous electronic residence monitoring (EAÜ) by its dynamic monitoring, which does not require defined prohibition zones. Instead of this, the perpetrator's bracket communicates with a GPS unit that the victim carries with him. This can monitor the locations of the perpetrator and the victim, and an alarm can be triggered if there is a questionable approach.

protection against domestic violence

This is particularly important in view of the increasing number of cases of domestic violence. According to the Federal Criminal Police Office, there was a quarter of a million victims of domestic violence in Germany in 2023, including around 12,000 in Hesse alone. Interior Minister Roman Poseck (CDU) emphasized that the introduction of the ankle bondage can better fulfill the state protection mandate. The Spanish model could help close gaps.

Hessen's Minister of Justice Christian Heinz and Dr. Patrick Liesching, the state chairman of the Weissen Ring e. V. in Hesse, recently presented the initiative for the nationwide introduction of the system. The occasion was current cases of domestic violence, including a procedure at the Frankfurt district court. The implementation of this technology represents significant progress, since it enables the victim to be informed about its own GPS device and thus maintain additional security.

political initiatives and measures

In order to finally anchor the model in Germany, a Federal Council Initiative was launched that will be discussed on September 27th in the country parliament. This initiative aims to anchor the Spanish model in the Violence Protection Act and enable the use of electronic ankle cuffs. The idea is that family courts can also issue appropriate orders in the future to prevent domestic violence.

Special attention is paid to the planned draft law, which also provides for social training courses for perpetrators. These are intended to help learn non -violent conflict solutions and thus break through the spiral of violence in the long term. The current bill takes into account the results of the "Violence Protection - Use of Electronic Residence Monitoring", which was launched in June 2024.

In this challenging time, the urgency of the measures is unmistakable. Federal Minister of Justice Dr. Volker Wissing emphasizes that in Germany a man kills his (ex) partner almost every other day. These alarming statistics make it clear that it is time to intensify the measures to combat domestic violence and to make new technologies usable. The planned Violence Protection Act, which has been in force since 2002, could be significantly strengthened by the current developments in order to offer affected women more security and support.