During New Years Eve, more than 1,000 women were reportedly sexually assaulted at a central train station in Cologne, Germany. What raised eyebrows around the world was the response from German officials, and that the events that occurred that night aren't considered crimes. According to German law, any type of sexual assault is only considered when the victim can prove that they physically resisted and also verbally said "no." If the victim freezes from fear, or is unable to react due to drug or drink intake, or even resisted but can't prove their attack, it doesn't meet a burden proof standard in the German legal system.

It's a scary and traumatizing situation for women around the world how sexual harassment has a certain guideline to determine if its legal or not. In Germany's case, if a victim can't prove bruises or other injuries in her body that she fought back, the assault isn't really a crime. Women in Germany say that men can get away with groping women inappropriately and kissing them in public and is considered as nothing, basically an innocent gesture for the German legal system.

The irony of the German sexual assault law is if the assault occurred in a workplace, it is considered a crime, however, in the streets that law doesn't apply. Many protesters around the world have been protesting the protection of women and sexual harassment for years. After the New Year eve attacks in Cologne, German Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed a draft law to change the law perspective on sexual assault and to tighten the rape law on March 16th, however, the law still needs to be approved by parliament. Nevertheless, this is the start of change and taking this serious crime in the right matter. Justice Minister Heiko Maas called the draft law "an important step toward strengthening sexual self-determination". "It is high time that changes," he said in a statement. "We owe that to the victims."

Sexual harassment or assault, shouldn't be acceptable no matter what race or gender you are, it is a crime no matter the circumstance.