FHK demands: What Germany must do to protect against violence

1. More women’s shelter places must be created urgently nationwide! 

Germany is obliged to implement the Istanbul Convention and the EU Directive on violence against women and domestic violence. The federal states must comply with the new „Violence Support Services Act“ Expand the support system to meet needs. According to recommendations from the Council of Europe, there is a shortage of over 12.000 places in women's shelters. Refugees are turned away every day.

2. Ensure protection against violence in family court proceedings! 

Women and children affected by violence must not be obliged to have regular contact with the perpetrator in the context of custody and access arrangements. Istanbul Convention consistently in Child law be implemented. The principle "Protection from violence before access rights" must finally be enshrined in law.

3. Increase further training for police and justice! 

Police should more frequently use measures such as removal, detention, threat assessment, and interdisciplinary case conferences in high-risk cases to better protect women affected by violence. The fact that half of the women affected do not take legal action is alarming and demonstrates how urgently the police and justice system need further professional and trauma-sensitive training to respond appropriately.

4. Take digital violence seriously and combat it effectively! 

Women are particularly often victims of incidents of digital violence with a rapidly increasing trend. Perpetrators use technical devices such as smartphones, laptops, or tracking devices to monitor victims, blackmail them, or damage their reputation. For many forms of digital violence, an effective criminal law framework is lacking. A comprehensive digital Violence Protection Act is therefore urgently needed.

5. Children and young people need specific services in women’s shelters! 

The Children's area Every women's shelter must be adequately equipped: with sufficient educational professionals, child-friendly facilities, and trauma-informed, age-appropriate social and educational services. Only in this way can the necessary support and empowerment of the children be guaranteed.

6. Strengthen work with perpetrators – prevent further violence! 

Early, proactive work with perpetrators is an important component of a holistic violence protection system. To prevent further violence, perpetrators must take responsibility for what has happened. Standardized programs should be mandatory for perpetrators, both by the police and youth welfare offices, as well as in family law proceedings and criminal sanctions.

7. Expand women’s shelters to be intersectional, barrier-free, and inclusive! 

The violence protection system needs a intersectional perspectiveto ALL women, TIN persons and children affected by violence Access to protection and support It must be designed and further developed to be inclusive, barrier-free, and accessible for particularly vulnerable groups. This applies to structural measures and conceptual development as well as improved language mediation, continuing education, increased human resources, and diverse collaborations.

8. Protection against violence and equality policy are only effective together! 

Economic dependence and gender-based power imbalances with the perpetrator make it significantly more difficult for women to escape violent relationships. Policymakers must implement gender equality measures—for example, addressing the gender pay gap or the gender care gap—to enable women to separate from a violent partner without fear of losing their livelihood. Effective gender equality policies have a preventative effect and improve the safety of women and children.

You can also find our demands in the short version of our current women’s shelter statistics: