Berlin is taking a major step to prevent sexual harassment and assault at this year's New Year's Eve party after women were singled out in a spree of crimes at celebrations in Cologne in 2015. In order to prevent a similar situation, the 2017 Brandenburg Gate party will have an established, optional women-only "safe zone" at the event staffed by the German Red Cross, Metro reports.
Not everyone is on board with the plan. "Critics say it does not tackle the perpetrators of sexual violence," the BBC writes, "while some others complain it is discriminatory."
Additional security measures are in place to prevent crimes, including a ban on alcoholic drinks and large bags.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.