PORTFOLIO

In July of 2016, the German Bundestag strengthened the laws concerning sexual offenses. For the first time, sexual harassment was incorporated into the criminal code. So-called "groping" is now criminally punishable. Previously, an offender accused of groping a woman's rear or breasts usually escaped all punishment. The new law stipulates that in the future, uninvited, improper touching is punishable by up to two years imprisonment. According to the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency, one in three women has experienced sexual harassment in her workplace. A survey conducted by the Agency showed that one in two women had been called upon to have sex by a colleague. This means half of all women physicians, supermarket cashiers, teachers, cleaners, and legal assistants. The topic is delicate and highly sensitive. The issue of evidence in particular is problematic for those affected. In the absence of witnesses or documentary materials, how does one document the often subtle, less blatant forms of sexual harassment? It is a question of where one's personal boundaries have been overstepped, of professional dependencies and power relationships, and in particular of the questions: how should the aggrieved party react? What actions should she undertake? In the end, which legal options are genuinely available to her? In the film, we speak with victims, employers, and interest groups.