FHK participated in the “Violence Protection Now” demonstration block in Berlin on March 8th – with a speech about solidarity, gaps in the system and what violence protection really needs.
Dear feminists, friends and allies, dear everyone,
We stand here today, March 8th, on International Women's Day, as the Women's Shelter Coordination Association (FHK). We represent the perspectives of women's shelters and specialized counseling centers throughout Germany, and thus the perspective of those who accompany, protect, and support victims of patriarchal violence every day. We stand here today alongside victims, colleagues, and all those who work daily against patriarchal violence and stand up for a feminist future. Thank you for your work. Thank you for your strength. Thank you for continuing to fight every day despite the various obstacles.
We experience the reality every day: overcrowded women's shelters, overworked and underpaid staff, a lack of available spaces, long waiting lists, and bureaucratic hurdles. And yet, violence is still too often portrayed as an individual problem and too rarely as a societal responsibility. But violence is not an individual failing. Violence is an expression of power imbalances. Those who individualize violence obscure its causes and responsibility. Protecting women from violence is a task for all of us.
On International Women's Day, speaking about violence also means speaking about who is particularly vulnerable. Those most at risk are people who face multiple forms of discrimination in this society and encounter obstacles at various points, are rendered invisible, and are not heard: women with experiences of racism , women with disabilities , women experiencing homelessness, trans women, and non-binary people . The people who most urgently need protection often reach our systems last. They encounter barriers, mistrust, and exclusion. And sometimes, we must be honest, they encounter these barriers within our own structures and ranks. If protection doesn't reach the most vulnerable, then it isn't protection. Conversely, when the most marginalized people are protected, we are all better protected.
Therefore, we must also discuss political measures. New instruments, such as electronic ankle monitors , are often presented as a major solution, as was recently the case with the German government. But technology does not replace safe spaces, prevention, offender rehabilitation , interpreting, or 24/7 availability. It can be a tool – if it is embedded in a functioning, funded, and accessible system. We are far from the Spanish model because key components are not even being implemented here.
And while we work with inadequate solutions and a precarious system for protecting people from violence, this protection is repeatedly instrumentalized for racist purposes. Violence is used to prop up racist narratives and to stigmatize and criminalize entire communities. But patriarchal violence is not an imported problem. It exists everywhere. Those who exploit the system of protecting people from violence for racist purposes are not fighting violence, but rather dividing our society at the expense of the most marginalized and violent people.
And we ourselves must also ask: Where do we exclude people? Where do we act paternalistically? Where is accessibility, multilingualism, or genuine participation lacking? Because true feminist solidarity also means critically examining our own structures. Because solidarity is not a feeling. Solidarity is lived practice.
Yes, we have made a lot of progress. The Violence Assistance Act is an important step and a major achievement. But rights that only apply to some are not rights at all. If transgender people are excluded, if migrants have no access, if homeless people fall through the cracks, then that is not comprehensive protection against violence. Rights must not come at the expense of others. It is our duty not to give in here, but to speak out loudly to ensure that no compromises are made in the protection against violence that benefit some at the expense of others. Especially now, in a time of right-wing extremism, in a time when intersectionality, diversity, and feminist politics are under attack, we must not fall silent. Our answer is therefore clear: Human rights are non-negotiable. Protection against violence is non-negotiable.
Our colleagues in women's shelters see every day where the system fails – and what those affected truly need. As the women's shelter coordinator, we therefore demand:
A genuine legal right to protection and advice. Accessible. Multilingual. Low-threshold. Regardless of residency status, income, or gender marker.
We demand reliable funding for shelters, counselling centers and specialist work.
And we demand better working conditions for the professionals who carry out this work every day. Our colleagues in women's shelters often perform this work under enormous pressure. Good support for those affected requires good working conditions for professionals.
But we also know that protection from violence isn't solely achieved through laws. It's also built on solidarity, networks, mutual support, and communities that stand up for one another. That's why we're here today. Because our anger is justified, but also because our solidarity is stronger.
Let's be loud. Let's be visible. Let's fight together. For comprehensive, intersectional, and solidarity-based protection against violence – now. Thank you.
Sheena Anderson, speaker for the project “ Addressing Intersectionality in Women’s Shelters ”
Quality recommendations
Current women's shelter statistics
