Digital Violence Against Women: Forms, Rights and Help

Digital violence against women and girls takes many forms: sexual harassment by message, an ex-partner tracking your location, intimate images shared without consent. The perpetrators are often not strangers but people from your own circle. This guide covers the main forms, what can be a criminal offence in Germany, how to protect yourself and where to get help.

If you are in danger, call 110. The Hilfetelefon Gewalt gegen Frauen (national helpline for women affected by violence) is available around the clock on 116 016, free, anonymous and in 18 languages.

What forms of digital violence against women are there?

• Sexual harassment: suggestive messages, sexualised comments, unsolicited penis pictures.
• Cyberstalking: constant messages, including from ever-new accounts, monitoring of your location or chats.
• Image-based abuse: intimate photos or videos are taken secretly or shared without consent. This includes fake nude images created with AI.
• Blackmail: someone threatens to publish intimate images unless you pay or send more. What helps then is explained in Sextortion: What to Do About Blackmail with Nude Images.
• Exposure and lies: fake profiles in your name, made-up stories, your address made public.
• Hate and threats: misogynistic comments, often aimed at women who speak out in public.

What counts as a criminal offence?

Whether a specific case is a criminal offence is for the police or a law firm to assess. These provisions of the German Criminal Code (StGB) often come into question:

Stalking (Nachstellung, Section 238 StGB). It is an offence to repeatedly follow or harass you in a way that can seriously affect your life. The law explicitly names digital forms: attempts at contact by telecommunications, orders placed in your name, spying on your data, spreading images of you and content falsely made to look as if it came from you. The penalty is up to three years or a fine. If the offender uses a spying app, so-called stalkerware, this is usually a particularly serious case, with up to five years. Stalking is prosecuted ex officio; no formal request for prosecution is needed.

Data espionage (Section 202a StGB). Anyone who gains unauthorised access to your phone, emails or accounts by overcoming an access protection can commit an offence. Up to three years or a fine.

Unsolicited pornography (Section 184(1) no. 6 StGB). Sending you pornographic content you did not ask for can be an offence. This can include unsolicited penis pictures. Up to one year or a fine.

Secret and intimate recordings (Sections 201a and 184k StGB). It is an offence, for example, to secretly record you in your home or in a changing room, or to pass on such recordings. Section 184k protects intimate areas, for example against secret photos taken up a skirt. Both offences usually require a formal request for prosecution (Strafantrag).

Sharing images without consent (Sections 22 and 33 of the Art Copyright Act, KUG). Photos in which you are recognisable may, in principle, only be shared with your consent. This also applies to intimate images you once sent to one person yourself. Anyone who passes them on without your consent can commit an offence. Here, too, a Strafantrag is required.

Threats, insult, blackmail. Threats (Section 241 StGB), insults (Section 185 StGB) and blackmail or coercion with images (Sections 253 and 240 StGB) can also be criminal offences.

What about AI nude images?

There is no specific criminal offence for deepfakes yet. Depending on the case, insult, the Art Copyright Act or stalking may already apply today. In October 2026, the federal cabinet adopted a draft law against digital violence. Among other things, it provides for specific penalties for sexualised deepfakes and secret tracking. It is not in force yet; the Bundesrat and Bundestag still have to debate it. More in Deepfakes and AI Nude Images: What Is a Crime.

How can you protect yourself from cyberstalking and surveillance?

• Get advice first, then make changes. If you suspect someone is monitoring your phone or accounts, talk to a support service such as the Hilfetelefon first. Sudden changes may alert the perpetrator.
• Change your passwords from a device only you use. Use a separate password for each account and switch on two-factor authentication.
• Check what you share: location sharing, family sharing, linked devices and cloud accounts you used to share.
• Check your apps: unknown apps, or apps with an unusual number of permissions, can be a warning sign.
• Watch out for trackers: small Bluetooth trackers can be hidden in bags or cars. Many phones warn you about unknown trackers travelling with you.
• Reduce public data: check what is visible about you: where you live, work or study, photos in front of your front door.

How do you secure evidence without adding to the burden?

For messages, comments and profiles: screenshots with date, time and profile name, note the links, keep a log. With stalking in particular, only the log shows the pattern. A guide is in Securing Evidence of Online Hate.

You don't have to collect intimate images of yourself. Note where they appear, with link, date and profile, and describe them. If the images show someone under 18, do not take screenshots and do not forward anything, because that alone can be an offence under Sections 184b and 184c StGB. Give the link to the police.

Can a court ban the perpetrator from contacting you?

Yes, that is possible. Under the Protection Against Violence Act (Gewaltschutzgesetz), a court can, on your application, order a person not to contact you, including by remote means such as phone or messenger (Section 1 GewSchG). This can also apply if someone repeatedly follows you or harasses you through such channels against your expressly stated will. The family court at the local court (Amtsgericht) is responsible. A law firm or a support service can help with the application.

Where can women and girls get help?

• Hilfetelefon Gewalt gegen Frauen: 116 016, around the clock, free and anonymous, in 18 languages besides German, in German Sign Language and in plain language. Online counselling is available at hilfetelefon.de. The Hilfetelefon also refers you to local support services.
• HateAid: support for people affected by digital violence at hateaid.org.
• Police: 110 in an emergency. Without immediate danger, you can also report online, see Report a Crime to the Police Online.
• Telefonseelsorge: 0800 111 0 111, around the clock, mainly in German.
• Under 18: Nummer gegen Kummer is on 116 111, Monday to Saturday from 2 pm to 8 pm. For minors, the Strafantrag is filed by their parents or others with parental responsibility (Section 77(3) StGB).

Frequently asked questions

Is sending an unsolicited penis picture a crime?

It can be an offence under Section 184(1) no. 6 StGB if the content is pornographic and you did not ask for it. Note the sender, date and chat, and report it. The police will clarify how the image is secured.

My ex still has access to my accounts. What can I do?

If you fear a reaction, talk to a support service such as the Hilfetelefon first. Then change your passwords from a safe device, log out unknown devices and switch on two-factor authentication. Unauthorised access to your accounts can be a criminal offence.

Do I need a Strafantrag for stalking?

No. Stalking under Section 238 StGB is prosecuted ex officio. A report is enough.

Can relatives call the Hilfetelefon too?

Yes. Relatives, friends and professionals also receive anonymous advice free of charge.

How Hass-Hetze can help

You can report it through our form. Upload screenshots of messages and profiles, but no intimate images. Describe them instead and include the links. If you say yes, your report goes automatically to a suitable cooperating law firm (Kooperationskanzlei) as soon as one is available. If there is no suitable firm right now, you get an email with other places to turn to straight away. Deadlines keep running: you can always file a request for prosecution (Strafantrag) with the police yourself. The legal assessment comes from the law firm, not from us.