Women's shelters offer women and their children affected by violence safe accommodation, counseling, and support – 24 hours a day or night. Here, women find protection, support, and the space to overcome the consequences of violence and develop violence-free life prospects. The range of support services is limited by the available space and staffing resources of the respective women's shelters.
Based on the Women's shelter residents statistics According to FHK (2023), it can be assumed that at least 14.000 women with 16.000 children find protection in German women's shelters every year.
Women's shelters are facilities for women who are acutely affected by violence or at risk of violence, regardless of age, income, residence status, sexual orientation, or origin. It is also irrelevant what form of violence the women have experienced. Restrictions exist regarding the admission of women with acute mental health problems, addiction problems, or Disabilities.
The services offered by women's shelters for women affected by violence and their children include safe accommodation, psychosocial counseling and support, as well as assistance in organizing everyday life together in the shelter.
Counseling is available both before and after admission to the women's shelter. If necessary, women are accompanied to authorities or other institutions. Counseling is also available from people in the affected women's social circles and from professionals.
Federal Government report on the situation of women's shelters, specialist counselling centres and other support services for women affected by violence and their children, published by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Berlin 2012.
The following federal associations are members of the Women’s Shelter Coordination Association
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