New Year's Eve sexual assaults in Germany — overview about the 2015–16 New Year's Eve sexual assaults in Germany
Mass sexual assaults on approximately 1,200 women across Germany on New Year's Eve 2015–16 sparked a major political debate on migration and public safety.
Key Facts
- Women assaulted (confirmed)
- 1,200
- Suspects identified by Nov 2016
- ~200 across Germany
- Cologne suspects from Morocco/Algeria
- Two-thirds of 153 identified
- Asylum-seekers among Cologne suspects
- 44%
- Suspects arrived in Germany in 2015
- Half of 120 identified sexual offense suspects
- Convictions nationwide by July 2016
- 4
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Large groups of men, predominantly identified as being of North African and Arab origin, gathered in public spaces during New Year's Eve celebrations. Contributing factors identified by German federal police included group pressure, absence of adequate police intervention, migrant frustrations, alcohol and drug use, and limited social integration with German society.
On the night of 31 December 2015, approximately 1,200 women were sexually assaulted in several German cities, most notably Cologne. Victims and witnesses described perpetrators as appearing North African or Arab. Assaults also occurred in cities in Finland, Sweden, Austria, and Switzerland, with perpetrators surrounding women in public spaces.
Authorities identified around 200 suspects across Germany by November 2016, with four convictions nationwide by July 2016. The events intensified public and political debate in Germany over migration policy, integration, and policing. Federal investigations confirmed the attacks were not centrally organized but arose from a combination of social and situational factors.