Protecting against IPV means protecting children!

When Children Are Involved: Domestic Violence and the Role of Child Welfare Services

Domestic violence affects not only those directly involved, but also the children who witness the violence. The number is alarmingly high, as approximately 60% of women affected by domestic violence lived with their children, and more than half see or hear the violence directly. One-quarter actively try to protect their mother, and one in ten children is physically assaulted in the process (Müller and Schröttle, 2004).

According to the latest LeSuBiA study (2026)[1], nearly one in two women in Germany has experienced emotional abuse by a (former) partner, more than half have suffered physical injuries, and over 21% felt their lives were in danger (compared to only 4.7% of affected men). Intimate partner violence is predominantly gender-specific, affects families, and can shape the daily lives of those affected and their children. 

How this affects children: The impact of witnessing violence

Children who grow up in families where violence is directed at a parent witness this violence. Witnessing violence has an impact on children, and they carry these experiences with them. Many develop fears, sleep problems, or withdraw. About one in four to five affected children develops post-traumatic stress disorder (Kindler, 2023), and many more exhibit behavioral abnormalities that are easily overlooked in everyday life. Witnessing violence against the mother is therefore also violence against the child and must be recognized as such. Furthermore, children who witness violence between their parents are at increased risk of entering abusive relationships themselves later in life. This highlights the importance of early intervention, support that centers those affected, and, above all, prevention strategies. 

Although international research has been examining this topic for decades, the body of research in German-speaking countries is still limited. And we know even less about how people affected and their children experience their interactions with the youth welfare office. The Youth Welfare Office is often the first institution contacted in these situations.

Support from Institutions: The Role of the Youth Welfare Office

The Youth Welfare Office plays a key role in cases of intimate partner violence. Protecting the mother also protects the child. The two cannot be separated. The Istanbul Convention and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child make this legally unambiguous: protection from violence is child protection. The danger to mothers and children remains high, especially after separations. Visitation and contact arrangements can pose a significant risk in cases of severe intimate partner violence: Affected women report physical assaults, threats against the children, and, in some cases, even attempted abductions (Müller & Schröttle, 2004). Child welfare services are required to recognize these dynamics and not to establish visitation arrangements in isolation from the context of violence.

In practice, however, this is not always easy. Affected mothers sometimes appear reserved or distrustful when dealing with authorities—not because they are uncooperative, but because they understandably want to be cautious. This fear of the Youth Welfare Office, of having their child taken into custody, or of losing custody is deliberately exploited by perpetrators of violence to maintain control and power even after the separation. Professionals who can interpret these signs make a decisive difference. So does close collaboration between child welfare services, schools, the medical community, and the justice system, because no single entity can manage these complex situations alone (Stiller, 2026)[2].

It is essential to strengthen structural and relationship-based protective factors, such as a safe, stable home, access to and acknowledgment of children’s feelings, and children’s active participation in decisions that affect them. These factors do not function as individual strengths of the child, but rather as responsibilities of the social environment and professionals. 

What we’re researching and whose voices we’d still like to hear

In our current social science research project, we’re addressing precisely this question: How do youth welfare offices handle intimate partner violence? To this end, we’ve already conducted two focus groups with professionals and compared their perspectives. But one crucial voice is still missing: that of those affected themselves.

Call for Participation

Who has had experiences with the Youth Welfare Office when intimate partner violence was involved? What helped, what was missing, and what would those affected like to see? This perspective is essential to us, because change begins with listening.

If you are or have been affected yourself and have been in contact with the Youth Welfare Office—for example, through parenting and family counseling, divorce and separation counseling, the Child Protection Service, or the Regional Social Pedagogical Service—and would like to share your experiences, please feel free to contact us: bukowsky@gewaltfrei-in-die-zukunft.de

We look forward to speaking with you; we will anonymize these conversations for research purposes, We pay an expense allowance of 50€.

Sources:

Kindler, H. (2023). Children and Adolescents in the Context of Domestic Violence—Risks and Consequences. In J. M. Fegert, T. Meysen, H. Kindler, K. Chauviré-Geib, U. Hoffmann, & E. Schumann (Eds.), Effective Child Protection Procedures: Empirical Foundations, Legal Framework, and Cooperation in Family Court Proceedings (pp. 321–335). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-66900-6_22

Leitgöb-Guzy, N., & Bieber, I. (n.d.). Special Issue I Results of the “Living Conditions, Safety, and Stress in Everyday Life (LeSuBiA)” Study: Experiences of Violence Within and Outside of (Former) Partnerships. Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth. Retrieved from https://www.bka.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Publications/Publication Series/Research Results/260210_LeSuBiA_Results_I.html

Müller, U., & Schröttle, M. (2004). Living Conditions, Safety, and Health of Women in Germany. A Representative Study on Violence Against Women in Germany . Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth.

Stiller, A. (2026). Children and Adolescents as Victims of Violence. In G. R. Wollinger & U. Zähringer (Eds.), Handbook of Victimology: Theoretical Foundations, Empirical Findings, and Legal Practice (pp. 777–797). Springer Fachmedien. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-48467-5_32

[1]https://www.bka.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Publications/Publication Series/Research Results/260210_LeSuBiA_Results_I.html

[2] Stiller, A. (2026). Children and Adolescents as Victims of Violence. In G. R. Wollinger & U. Zähringer (Eds.), Handbook of Victimology: Theoretical Foundations, Empirical Findings, and Legal Practice (pp. 777–797). Springer Fachmedien. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-48467-5_32