A storm of criticism followed comments by Dirk Peglow, head of the Federal Association of German Detectives (BDK), after a television interview in which he advised women to “better not get into a relationship with a man.” Peglow made the remark while discussing newly released criminal statistics that show an 8.5% increase in rape, sexual assault and other particularly serious sexual offenses.
Speaking on ZDF, host Dunja Hayali asked what advice he would give women in light of the figures. Peglow replied that women would be safer if they avoided relationships with men, adding that entering a relationship increases the risk of suffering psychological or physical violence. He also cited 2024 figures, saying that “statistically at least two women per day were victims of homicide or attempted homicide,” and that sexual-offense trends looked similar.
In a subsequent interview with Bild, Peglow said his remark had been an exaggeration and “not meant as advice to be taken literally,” stressing that “the overwhelming majority of men are not violent and are not criminals.” Nevertheless, the original comment has provoked heated debate about gender, safety and public messaging.
Hayali told Focus Online that both she and Peglow have received threats since the broadcast. “Now there are men who do not criticize the rise in violence against women but instead express violent fantasies and threats of violence against my interview partner and me,” she said.
The crime data themselves have drawn scrutiny for another reason: they show a comparatively high rate of certain offenses committed by people recorded as foreigners, a breakdown that experts caution should be interpreted carefully. While reports of violent crimes including rape and sexual assault rose, the overall number of recorded offenses in Germany fell by 4.4%.
The exchange has prompted wider discussion in Germany about how to respond to rising reports of violent and sexual crimes, how to present statistics responsibly, and how to avoid inflaming tensions while addressing public safety concerns.
Edited by: Sean Sinico