Over 100 women in this country are killed by their (ex) partners every year. More prevention is needed, experts demand – but Germany is lagging behind.
Berlin – Jetmira wanted things to be better for herself and her children. Away from her husband's addiction to control and finally living independently. She moved and began training with a doctor. But even after the separation, her husband did not grant the 28-year-old her wish for freedom. He lured her into an ambush and repeatedly stabbed her with a butcher knife in an Obi parking lot in Aachen – in broad daylight, in front of numerous customers. Jetmira bled to death and three children lost their mother that day.
Jetmira had broken out of the supposedly submissive role in the partnership – and was therefore killed. Such acts of violence are known as femicides. “It's about control, the perpetrator believes that he can decide what the woman does,” explains Silvia Zenzen from the Federal Association of Women's Advice Centers and Women's Emergency Calls in Germany (bff). The number of such Cases in this country have been at a consistently high level for years – also because too little is being done to protect women from violence, according to the expert.
Women’s advice centers have “suffered from underfunding since they were founded”
On average, a woman was killed by her (ex) partner every third day in 2022. Calls to counter the violence have been loud for years. Women's advice centers play an important role in this. You can help prevent femicides from happening in the first place. They show women the way out of a violent relationship, carry out safety and risk analyzes and can bring those affected to safety in good time.
But these are “very labor-intensive cases,” explains Zenzen. Her association organizes 210 women's emergency hotlines and advice centers. Many of the Facilities lack the staff and money to process the cases. “The advice centers that are our members have suffered from underfunding since they were founded. The employees are constantly working to the limit.” There is an urgent need for action there: “This is definitely homework that the federal government, but also the states and municipalities, have to put on their to-do list.”
Long waiting times for shelter in women's shelters
Germany also shows at the European Istanbul Convention for the Protection of Women from Violence “Significant implementation deficits,” the human rights monitoring body Grevio found in autumn 2022. Among other things, states are obliged to introduce a uniform case management system. “There, the police, advice centers, public prosecutor’s office, youth welfare office and representatives from perpetrator work discuss what can be done to prevent violence from escalating further,” explains Zenzen. However, there is currently no uniform approach at the federal level.
Anyone who can escape a violent relationship can find refuge in a women's shelter – at least in theory. Because there is one here too blatant lack of capacitysuch as an analysis of the research network Corrective shows. According to this, there is a lack of around 3,500 shelter places in this country. In 2022, the facilities examined were no longer able to accept anyone for an average of 303 days. Often there is not a single place left in the entire state. Those affected often return to their usual surroundings – and this can have fatal consequences.
Federal government wants to “fully implement” the Istanbul Convention
Politicians have also recognized that Germany has some catching up to do when it comes to protecting women – and vowed to improve: “We will ensure the right to protection from violence for every woman and her children,” says Sönke Rix, deputy chairman of the SPD parliamentary group, to IPPEN.MEDIA. “This requires women’s shelter places that are available as needed.” The Federal Ministry for Women's Affairs is currently preparing a legislative process to create a nationwide legal framework for a reliable assistance system. The Istanbul Convention will be “fully implemented.”
How you can help women escape the spiral of violence
It can be very important for women that their call for help is actually followed by that help. It is difficult for them to admit that they are affected by violence because it is associated with shame, says Zenzen. “Most of the time the relationship isn’t terrible all the time, which is why women have hope that everything will turn out for the better.” Femicides and serious physical violence are often preceded by lighter forms of violence, such as a slap or a push. Afterwards, a spiral can be seen in the counseling centers, with increasingly worse acts of violence.
Outsiders should therefore not leave those affected alone, even if they initially encounter rejection, says Zenzen. Depending on the situation, there are also various ways to intervene in acute danger without endangering yourself. “As a neighbor, if I hear that something is happening that could be dangerous, you can ring the doorbell and ask for salt or eggs, for example. This will interrupt the situation for the time being.” If you are unsure how to deal with the situation, you can also contact a women's advice center as an outsider. (mg)
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