The German government has announced plans to introduce stricter penalties for the use of so-called “knockout drops,” also known as date-rape drugs, in the commission of rape and robbery.
Under a draft law approved by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s cabinet, offenders found guilty of using such substances to incapacitate victims would face a minimum prison sentence of five years.
The proposed legislation still requires approval from the German parliament before it can become law.
Authorities noted that there were currently no nationwide police statistics tracking the use of drugs intended to render victims defenceless prior to sexual assault.
However, officials believed the substances are most commonly administered secretly in social settings such as bars and nightclubs, though some cases reportedly occur in private homes where victims are drugged by known visitors.
“This is a particularly egregious form of sexual violence, and it affects women in particular,” Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said on Wednesday.
She added that rape involving the use of such substances is “particularly malicious and dangerous.”
The Justice Minister further described the planned reform as part of a broader government strategy aimed at strengthening protections against violence.
The issue of drug-facilitated sexual assault has drawn renewed attention in Europe, particularly following the Gisèle Pelicot case in France, which highlighted the phenomenon known locally as “chemical submission.”
