Jogger confronts voyeur and starts petition
On a February day, 30-year-old copywriter Yanni Gentsch is jogging alone through a Cologne park. She notices a cyclist following her, filming her buttocks with his smartphone. Gentsch confronts the man and forces him to delete the footage.
She, in turn, has now turned on her smartphone. The video shows a man who seems overwhelmed by the woman's determination. He stammers apologies and claims "nothing happened," but ultimately accuses her of her own fault: "Why are you wearing pants like that?" It's a classic reversal of perpetrator and victim, which Gentsch counters with a phrase that becomes the slogan of her movement: " My clothes are not an invitation!"
The video went viral , garnering more than 16 million views on Instagram—and sparked a wave of solidarity. Comments included "I'm impressed by your courage," "When a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women," and "Incredibly well-reacted, thank you and respect."
Petition for a change in the lawGentsch wants to report the man, but she learns that this isn't possible. The reason: Under current German law, secret filming is only punishable if it concerns the intimate area—for example, "upskirting" (filming up a skirt) or shots of bare skin. Clothed body parts, even if filmed deliberately and with sexual motivation, are not protected .
Yanni Gentsch refuses to accept this and launched the petition "Make Voyeur Recordings Criminal ." As of August 27, it has been signed by more than 120,000 people. The central demand: an amendment to German Criminal Code Section 184k, which would make any sexually motivated, secret recording, regardless of nudity, criminal . Gentsch writes: "The current legal situation protects perpetrators, not victims." Secret filming is an abuse of power: "Shame belongs on the side of the perpetrators (...)."
Sexual harassment of women in Germany: high rateShe personally delivered her petition, addressed to Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig, to North Rhine-Westphalia's Justice Minister Benjamin Limbach on August 25. In November, the Conference of Justice Ministers will discuss an amendment to the Criminal Code. Limbach is in favor: "Our law must draw a clear line when body parts are secretly filmed or photographed with sexual intent or against a person's will."
The response to Gentsch's initiative has been overwhelming, and not just on social media: National newspapers, radio stations, and even the prime-time news program Tagesschau are reporting on it. This is partly due to Yanni Gentsch's strong appeal with her courageous approach, but also because her experiences are still a reality for almost all women in Germany. According to a 2022 study by Merseburg University of Applied Sciences , nine out of ten respondents have already had to endure sexual harassment in public spaces, in whatever form.
Yanni Gentsch made it clear when handing over her petition: "Sexual harassment is never harmless, but the first step in a spiral of violence."
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