The German government is set to allocate €200 million to help tackle the issues of sexual abuse in refugee camps.

Migrant women and children have been targeted in a spate of attacks with one camp in the town of Gießen recording 15 cases of sexual assault in just a single month last year.

‘Many of the women in the camps are scared to speak out about what is happening – many of them are for example scared to be sent back home because of it,’ the Ministry for Families, Seniors, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) spokesperson Verena Herb told The Local.

The large amount of financial investment will be used to restructure refugee camps and provide designated protective spaces for women and children.

Working alongside UNICEF, the government’s new scheme will also provide training for staff and information for preventing sexual abuse in the camps.

Read more: Migrant Camp