There have been at least five cases of trans-identified males assaulting female inmates after being transferred to women’s correctional facilities in Germany, with four of these attacks being described as “sexually motivated.” Two of these male prisoners have had to be relocated back to a men’s prison as a result of their aggression.
Last April, the German Parliament, or Bundestag, passed one of the world’s most far-reaching laws allowing sex self-declaration on demand. The Self-Determination Act (SBGG) establishes ‘gender identity’ as a protected characteristic, allows parents to change the sex marker on their children’s documents from birth, and imposes hefty fines of up to €10,000 (approx. $10,800 USD) for revealing a person’s given name and birth sex without their permission – referred to by trans activists as ‘deadnaming.’
Last month, a survey by Die Welt was conducted in the 16 state justice ministries across the country, confirmed a number of incidents involving trans-identified male inmates who had been housed in women’s prisons.
In Vechta, a women’s prison in Lower Saxony, three sexual assaults were reported to have taken place by the same transgender perpetrator between 2023 and 2024. While the trans-identified male was not identified, it is known he had been convicted of the possession of child sexual abuse material.
One of the most widely-reported incidents occurred in 2023 at the Frauen-JVA Chemnitz, a full year ahead of the passage of the SBGG. The male inmate is said to have sexually harassed female inmates, repeatedly pressured them for sex, threatened them with assault, and masturbated in the corridors of the detention center.
The sexual harassment only came to light after a letter from a female inmate was published by German press. Following outcry, the trans-identified male was returned to a men’s prison.