Germany’s Bundestag voted by a majority to raise the minimum prison sentence for administering so-called rape drugs, such as GHB, with the intention of rendering someone unconscious and then sexually abusing or robbing them, from three to five years. The drugs are often put in drinks and can cause memory loss while leaving little trace. The amendment followed a ruling by Germany’s Federal Court of Justice that classified the drugs as dangerous instruments for crime, meaning their use in rape or robbery is treated like the use of a weapon.

The proposal still requires approval from the Bundesrat, representing Germany’s 16 states, before it can become law. Forensic pathologist Britta Gahr called the increase symbolic and argued that the law should make clear that consent to sex is required; under the current rules described, sex against someone’s will is a crime only when the person explicitly refuses, for example by saying “no.”