Berlin, May 30, 2025. On the occasion of International Children's Day on 1 June, the Women's Shelter Coordination Association (FHK) is calling for children to finally be protected consistently and for the priority of protection from violence over custody and visitation rights to be enshrined in law.
Children have the right to a life free from violence – this right must no longer be undermined by family law proceedings.
Children's Day reminds us that children deserve special protection, care, and involvement. But the reality for many children in Germany is different: They—and thus their mothers—are still often forced to maintain contact with violent fathers because courts and youth welfare offices prioritize access rights, even when violence is proven.
"Children experience violence not only as direct victims, but also as witnesses to domestic violence. They become instruments of the continued exercise of power.
Despite violence against the mother, fathers continue to be viewed as caring caregivers for their children. However, child protection must be at the center of every family court decision," emphasizes Sibylle Schreiber, Managing Director of FHK.
A Study from November 2024, which analyses 154 family court cases, shows that in 19 of the cases examined, mothers and children were killed in connection with custody and access rights proceedings.
In the overwhelming majority of cases, narratives such as “parental alienation” are used to deprive mothers of custody or to enforce visitation under duress and often against the will of the children.
"Family courts and youth welfare offices, which are actually obliged to protect children, are contributing to the further endangerment of children and their mothers by prioritizing visitation and custody rights," explains Schreiber of FHK.
The new federal government must finally prioritize the issue and announced legal improvements to directly address the protection of mothers and children. There are no clear legal guidelines on how violence is systematically identified and prioritized in legal proceedings.
"As long as courts and youth welfare offices push for settlement and mediation instead of considering violence as an exclusion criterion for custody and visitation rights, children and their mothers will remain unprotected. We demand that protection from violence must finally take precedence over parental rights," said Sibylle Schreiber.
"Children's Day should remind us that every child has a right to protection and integrity. Politicians must act now and fundamentally reform family law so that children are no longer left behind in dangerous situations."
Quality recommendations
Current women's shelter statistics
