As part of a conference The BMBFSFJ has presented key findings of the nationwide study “Needs analysis for the prevention of gender-based and domestic violence” presented. Over half of the sixty-page summary of the needs analysis comprises 47 recommendations for action, which summarize expectations of professional practice regarding policy as well as concrete recommendations for action in the field of prevention.
The study, which involved researchers from SoFFI, SOCLES, and the DJI, followed an exploratory methodological approach, conducting online surveys and qualitative expert interviews, analyzing campaigns and action plans, and relevant research literature. A further component was a survey of school-based prevention and municipal, location-based, cross-sectoral prevention approaches.
The study, particularly through the evaluation of international meta-analyses, emphasizes the proven benefits of counseling for women affected by violence and of perpetrator work, as well as the effectiveness of prevention programs in reducing gender-based violence. It concluded that successful prevention requires structures, strategies, and coordination with reliable resources. Preventing violence is not a luxury, but a necessity!
Key findings – there is hardly any systematic and sustainable prevention
Overall, the prevention landscape across the country is heterogeneous and structurally fragmented. Evaluation gaps and resource constraints hamper evidence-based development. A total of 275 person-based prevention programs were evaluated nationwide, although supra-regional program approaches beyond perpetrator work are virtually nonexistent. For cross-sectoral local cooperation, round tables are the most common networking form (85% of municipalities), while intervention projects and interdisciplinary case conferences are less common to date. Only one-third of municipalities (27,3%) have prevention strategies in place, in the sense of coordinated measures involving multiple actors.
The study examined continuing education programs for various professional groups and specific target group-oriented programs. The results ranged from some satisfactory offerings to significant deficits in the distribution of programs across Germany, as well as a significant urban-rural divide. However, the study found that there are hardly any prevention programs for some target groups at high risk of experiencing gender-based and domestic violence.
Particularly in rural districts, there is a lack of written cooperation agreements and structured case conferences. However, according to feedback from the police and justice sectors, a high degree of networking and cooperation has already been established (95,6% and 89,7%, respectively).
FHK found the feedback on risk management measures and case conferences in the police and justice systems contradictory. The study stated that these measures were already widely established, but on the other hand, the research team recommended the widespread implementation of these instruments in accordance with the Istanbul Convention (Article 51). It remains questionable to what extent the positive findings were related to the survey setting.
Closing identified prevention gaps
Prevention gaps particularly affect vulnerable groups: LGBTQIA people, women with refugee experiences, women with Disabilities as well as primary prevention programs for men and boys. There are few programs for addressing digital violence, a lack of multilingual counseling services in rural areas, and a lack of differentiated programs.
From the researchers' point of view, there is a particular lack of prevention programs in schools, peer-oriented and relationship-oriented programs for young people, as well as programs for affected children and young people.
Prioritized target group of prevention: children and adolescents
When asked about prioritization, children and young people (73%) were identified as the most important target group. These should also be given increased attention as the primary target group for public relations work, especially digitally. The model project from the FHK's action program "Together against violence against women" (2019-2022) and our specialist portal were mentioned here as a central nationwide resource for prevention work by educational professionals.
Germany has not yet used internationally proven prevention measures in schools (e.g. teen dating violence or so-called bystander programs) and despite the long-standing demand for specific prevention in the school context and its anchoring in educational plans, this is largely not implemented.
Develop & implement a prevention strategy?
The survey of practitioners revealed that the spectrum of prevention needs to be more far-reaching. Not only individual measures are needed, but also fundamental approaches such as gender equality and equal living conditions throughout Germany, as well as cross-departmental and cross-sectoral coordination and quality development. The needs assessment identifies a variety of gaps, problems, and challenges and provides valuable and differentiated recommendations.
To what extent the results will be incorporated into future measures by the countries, e.g. in connection with the upcoming implementation of the Violence Assistance ActIt remains to be seen whether the new legislation, which explicitly calls for preventive measures (Section 1, Paragraph 2, No. 2 of the GewHG), will lead to such a change. However, the new structure of the Federal Ministry of Education, Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMBFSFJ) offers a unique opportunity in this legislative period to (further) develop preventive measures against violence against girls and women nationwide through overarching strategic action, especially among young people.
Quality recommendations
Current women's shelter statistics
