Where are the effective countermeasures? A further increase in violence against women, according to BKA situation reports on domestic and gender-based violence.

On Friday, November 21, 2025, Holger Münch, the President of the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), together with Alexander Dobrindt, Federal Minister of the Interior, and Karin Prien, Federal Minister of Education, Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, presented the federal situation reports. Domestic violence and to gender-specific crimes directed against women for the year 2024. 

According to the report, 265.942 people, more than 73 percent of whom were female, were victims of domestic violence last year – an increase of 3,8 percent and thus a new, sad record high. Compared to five years ago, the increase is almost 18 percent. 

132 women and 24 men were killed by their partners in 2024. In the context of domestic violence in general, 80 percent of the victims were female. Approximately a quarter of victims of domestic violence experience it multiple times. Furthermore, victims of domestic violence often experience several different forms of violence. 

But these figures are just the tip of the iceberg, because in the area of ​​domestic violence, as well as in sexual and digital violence, the vast majority of offenses go unreported: The reporting rate is usually below ten percent, and in the case of domestic violence, even below five percent. This is shown by initial findings from the dark figure study "Living Situation, Safety and Stress in Everyday Life (LeSuBiA)," which is to be published in a few weeks. 

Children between the ages of 6 and 14 are most affected by domestic violence. This is also reflected in the daily life of women's shelters – there are more children than women living there, as 60 percent of the women are with their families. Children in women's shelter Children who witness this violence are often traumatized and urgently need professional support. However, not all women's shelters are adequately equipped. Often, there is a lack of child-friendly facilities and qualified staff. 

An ankle monitor is not a panacea; it will only help a fraction of those affected.

The one on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, from Cabinet approved draft law The introduction of electronic monitoring was touted as a powerful measure to reduce future crime rates when the federal situation reports were presented. However, before electronic monitoring can even be implemented, the cycle of violence must already be significantly escalated.