In Berlin, a 37-year-old man was sentenced to two years of probation for sexual violence against a Ukrainian woman who fled the war.
The court found him guilty of rape, assault, sexual violence, and unlawful detention. The accused, who admitted his guilt, had already paid the victim €20,000 in compensation.
The man had offered temporary accommodation to the 28-year-old Ukrainian writer after the outbreak of the full-scale war with Russia. They had met online two years earlier and stayed in touch through social media. When she arrived in Berlin on May 28, 2022, he began harassing her, and on May 29, he forced her into sexual acts despite her resistance.
The woman managed to escape two days later and sought help from a gas station employee, who called the police. The accused initially claimed their interaction was consensual but later admitted to temporarily locking the woman in his apartment. He also denied raping her, stating, “I’ve been with 3,000 women; I didn’t need to do this.”
Before the sentencing, a plea agreement was reached, and the court ruled that he must not contact the victim. The court’s decision has not yet come into effect.
