FHK expert information: Inclusion – Protection from violence for all women | No. 02/2023

The Istanbul Convention's claim is clear and straightforward: Protection and needs-based support must be accessible and appropriate for ALL women and their children affected by violence. Without exceptions. Without conditions on the part of those seeking protection. It's no secret how far the reality in Germany falls short of this claim:

Too little has been done politically in recent decades to address the serious (infra)structural deficits beyond a limited number of areas. Even the high professional standards of adequately addressing the heterogeneous needs of all those affected – especially vulnerable groups – are thwarted by a chronically underfunded and overburdened assistance system.

But unconditional and low-threshold access to support for ALL victims of violence without exception is not a luxury – it is a basic prerequisite for violence protection to be able to fulfil its function at all.

Contents of this technical information

In this expert information, we address the question of how we can practically shape inclusion in protection and counseling services: What exclusions does the system (re)produce – and what ways do institutions find to overcome them? Where does a critical internal perspective help, and where are external networks needed? How can professional practitioners contribute to inclusion despite structural barriers? And how inclusive can a precariously funded support system actually be?

To this end, we are engaging with women's shelters and counseling centers, as well as experts from related support systems who critically examine internal power relations. We are exploring obvious and invisible barriers to access, talking to people seeking protection about their experiences, and examining practical ways of dealing with racism and queer life realities.

FHK project “Inclusive Help System”

The project “Inclusive Help System” (see technical information p. 9) FHK also has the opportunity for one year to record what protection facilities specifically need in order to meet the requirement for inclusive protection from violence formulated in the Istanbul Convention.

The FHK technical information is available for free download below.