Bundestag wants to ban harassment of pregnant women outside clinics

Radical abortion opponents are making it increasingly difficult for pregnant women to access counseling centers and abortion clinics. In cases of so-called sidewalk protesting, verbal attacks on women are common. The Bundestag now wants to take action against this.

Pregnant women should be effectively protected from such sidewalk protesting in front of counseling centers and clinics where abortions are performed in the future. The Bundestag passed a corresponding amendment to the Pregnancy Conflict Law. 381 deputies voted in favor of the bill, while 171 opposed it.

Protests by abortion opponents are increasingly taking place in front of counseling centers and institutions where abortions are performed, as stated in the bill's justification. Both pregnant women and staff were in part deliberately approached against their will.

Protection for Pregnant Women and Staff of Counseling Institutions

According to the bill, it will be prohibited to intentionally make it difficult for pregnant women to enter the institutions in this way. It is also forbidden to forcefully impose one's own opinion on pregnant women regarding the continuation of their pregnancy, to put significant pressure on them, or to influence them with false factual statements. This applies to observable behaviors within a range of 100 meters around the entrance area of counseling centers and institutions where abortions are performed.

The personnel of such institutions are also to be protected: It will be prohibited to intentionally hinder this personnel during the provision of information on abortions and the performance of abortions. Violations of the now prohibited harassments and obstructions will constitute an administrative offense and be punishable with a fine of up to 5000 Euro.

CDU Denies Existence of Sidewalk Protesting

SPD Parliamentary Affairs Manager Katja Mast stated in the Bundestag that such sidewalk protesting has existed for several years everywhere and cannot be solved with the existing ordinance. "There is only one side to this conflict that one can take a stand on - and that is the side of the affected parties," Mast emphasized. "We are regulating this today with our law."

CDU Deputy Bettina Margarethe Wiesmann, however, denied the existence of sidewalk protesting: "What they designate as a problem does not exist at all." A "blanket buffer zone" around the institutions is therefore disproportionate. According to Wiesmann, there are only watchmen, which can be regulated with existing laws. The CDU politician accused the traffic light coalition of shifting the coordinates at the expense of freedom of opinion and assembly with the legislative amendment.

The draft law of the Family Ministry must still be discussed in the Bundesrat. It does not require approval there - the Chamber of Laender can, however, call for the joint mediation committee of the Bundestag and Bundesrat.

The Federal Council will now need to discuss the draft law from the Ministry of Family Affairs, which aims to prohibit harassment and obstruction of pregnant women and staff at abortion clinics and counseling centers, due to rising protests from radical abortion opponents.
The passage of the amendment in the German Bundestag to strengthen the Pregnancy Conflict Law also covers the prohibition of making it intentionally difficult for pregnant women to access institutions where abortions are performed within a 100-meter radius.
In light of persistent sidewalk protesting by abortion opponents, the SPD Parliamentary Affairs Manager Katja Mast argued that regulations were necessary to protect pregnant women and clinic staff, stating, "There is only one side to this conflict that one can take a stand on - and that is the side of the affected parties."
Despite reports of sidewalk protesting and the need for protection, CDU Deputy Bettina Margarethe Wiesmann claimed that the issue did not exist and accused the traffic light coalition of infringing on freedom of opinion and assembly by proposing a "blanket buffer zone" around the institutions.