The Women's Shelter Coordination Association (FHK) is publishing its nationwide women's shelter statistics for 2025 today . According to the report, there is still a shortage of nearly 12.000 women's shelter spaces in Germany. Against the backdrop of the draft budget for 2027, which proposes that the Federal Ministry of Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMBFSFJ) will have over one billion euros less at its disposal than this year, the FHK warns against cuts to women's protection from violence, the support system, and relevant specialist organizations.
FHK itself is affected by the planned budget cuts: According to current plans, around half a million euros are to be saved in the areas of equality policy and violence prevention. "After already painful cuts in recent years, we now have to fear another reduction," says Sibylle Schreiber, Managing Director of FHK. "Even though it is a small amount compared to the large sums currently being discussed in the federal budget, it is still deeply troubling."
The fact that savings are to be made now is surprising: Politicians themselves have recognized in recent years the urgent need to expand protection against violence. One example is the Violence Assistance Act , which was passed in early 2025 and is now being implemented in the federal states. The work of specialist organizations like FHK is indispensable in this process, ensuring expert support for the states during implementation.
FHK is also actively involved in the legislative process for current legislative proposals, such as those concerning child custody and family law or the digital violence protection law , working closely with other professional organizations. Only when these organizations contribute their collective knowledge to policymakers and the public at an early stage, for example through position papers, will practical expertise actually be incorporated into legislation. Cutting back on precisely this work would send the wrong message.
Elsewhere, austerity measures are also looming that would directly impact women affected by violence: Federal Family Minister Karin Prien plans to reduce child support payments to the child's 15th birthday. Women fleeing abusive relationships and seeking refuge in women's shelters rely on this support when their ex-partner fails to pay child support: According to 2025 women's shelter statistics , the number of women receiving child support payments nearly quadruples during their stay. A reduction in these payments would therefore target the very financial security that enables many women and their children to make a fresh start after an abusive relationship.
The continued need for a strong support system is further demonstrated by figures from the 2025 women's shelter statistics: Less than a third of women find a place in a women's shelter in their own city or district, compared to more than half ten years earlier. The professional work of organizations like FHK therefore remains in demand even beyond current legislative proposals, especially since the number of women and children affected by domestic violence has been rising for years.
Background information on the women's shelter statistics:
For over 25 years, the women's shelter statistics of Frauenhauskoordinierung eV (FHK) have been the only nationwide survey documenting data on women's shelters in Germany and their residents.
In 2025, approximately 13.440 women and 15.280 children/young people will have sought refuge in women's shelters. This is a projection based on the latest women's shelter statistics from FHK. This year's statistics are based on data from 6.430 women and 7.310 children from a total of 191 of the approximately 400 women's shelters in Germany.
Quality recommendations
Current women's shelter statistics
