Berlin Launches New Project Against Digital Violence
Berlin, April 24 – Berlin is initiating a new statewide project to combat digital gender-based violence originating from the social environment. This was announced by the Senate Department for Labor and Social Affairs. The initiative, named “A Team Against Digital Violence” (Ein Team gegen digitale Gewalt), aims to support professionals in women’s shelters, protective accommodations, and counseling centers, thereby enabling faster and more tailored assistance for victims.
The Senate Department, also responsible for equality and anti-discrimination, stated that “Berlin’s specialized counseling centers and women’s shelters have reported a significant increase in digital violence for years.” It added, “At the same time, there is a widespread lack of training opportunities, technical knowledge, and standardized protection and action concepts.” The new project is designed to address precisely these gaps.
Addressing the Gaps in Support
The initiative will offer advanced training for professionals, technical case consultations for specific suspected cases, and support in developing safety concepts within the institutions. The goal is to specifically expand the existing support system with technical expertise in dealing with digital violence.
Cansel Kiziltepe (SPD), Berlin’s Senator for Social Affairs, emphasized, “Digital violence, in particular, is increasingly penetrating the daily lives of victims and often further exacerbates existing patterns of violence. That is why we are consistently developing our protective structures in Berlin.”
Miriam Ruhenstroth from the new initiative added that digital violence is a daily reality for professionals in women’s shelters and counseling centers. “This goes far beyond the phenomenon of ‘hatespeech’: perpetrators, for example, secretly install spy apps and monitor locations using hidden Bluetooth trackers.” She warned that this not only endangers victims of violence but also protective institutions whose addresses are confidential.
Legal Measures and IP Address Access
Regarding the criminal prosecution of digital violence, Berlin’s Senator for Justice, Felor Badenberg (CDU), stated on RBB’s “Abendschau”: “The big problem that law enforcement agencies have is that perpetrators cannot be identified because they do not appear under their real names.” She stressed that this must change, for instance, by making IP addresses accessible when necessary.
An IP address functions like a computer’s address on the internet, allowing it to be identified. According to a cabinet proposal, internet access providers are to be legally obliged to store IP addresses assigned to account holders for three months, even without specific initial suspicion. This measure aims to facilitate the identification of criminals and terror suspects.
The “A Team Against Digital Violence” project represents a crucial step forward in Berlin’s efforts to adapt its support systems to the evolving nature of violence in the digital age, ensuring that victims receive comprehensive and effective assistance.
