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Berlin Invests $230 Million To Fight Sex Abuse At Refugee Camps

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Jonah Bennett Contributor
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Sex abuse perpetrated by migrants in refugee camps has prompted the German government to pour roughly $230 million dollars into a program designed to curb rampant sexual assault.

Starting April 1, the German Ministry for Families is set to launch the program, which completely redesigns refugee camps, in order to provide a safe space specifically for women and children. This remodeling also includes the construction of separate bathrooms and rooms with locks on them, The Local reports.

“Unfortunately we know that children and women in the camps are not safe from abuse and sexual assault. That’s why we have to make sure that they’re protected,” Junior Minister Ralf Kleindiek told The Local.

A portion of the funds will also be allocated to give counselling services.

No one really knows the true number of sexual assaults in the refugee camps, as both the Ministry for Families and the Federal Criminal Agency do not give out such data. But reports keep rolling in of repeated sexual assaults in refugee camps hosted by a country that has invited 1.1 million refugees just in 2015.

For example, in the city of Gießen, there were at least 15 cases of sexual abuse reported as of September 2015.

In response to complaints from native Germans, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said he’s working on a bill to force refugees to make a choice: either integrate, or leave the country. The law is planned for May.

“For those who refuse to learn German, for those who refuse to allow their relatives to integrate – for instance women or girls – for those who reject job offers: for them, there cannot be an unlimited settlement permit after three years,” Maiziere said, according to The Week.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has described the massive surge of refugees pouring across the border as an “opportunity for tomorrow.” Even in spite of the terror attacks that have rocked Europe over the past several months, Germany seems absolutely committed to keeping borders open for migrants from the Middle East, as well as other countries not currently in turmoil.

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