Our 8 demands for March 8, 2025
Gender-based intimate partner violence as well as domestic violence more broadly, must become key focus areas for the new federal government. We need interministerial working groups to develop cross-departmental strategies for combating this form of violence. These efforts must focus not only on prevention and support but also on issues such as poverty reduction, the creation of housing, and educational opportunities in the context of this form of violence.
We demand secure, long-term funding for the entire support system in all federal states in order to ensure support for those affected and preventative measures. The measures of the Violence Assistance Act must be implemented as soon as possible and prioritized immediately!
We demand the expansion of the Violence Assistance Act to include ALL affected individuals! Trans* women and all TIN* persons must also be included. Furthermore, we need the legal establishment of measures to remove barriers for those affected by flight and migration-related circumstances.
We demand regular training for teachers, social workers, judges, and police officers, as well as awareness-raising measures in all authorities and companies regarding how to handle both those affected by violence and abusers. There is a need for violence prevention programs and designated persons in every workplace to whom those affected can turn, as well as anti-violence policies and protection concepts in authorities, companies, and organizations.
We call for regular nationwide data collection on gender-based intimate partner violence and intensified femicide research! Above all, research into motives by analyzing histories of violence is essential for better prevention. We also call for regular field studies (studies of unreported incidents) and an interdisciplinary approach to research!
We demand the institutionalization of case conferences between the public prosecutor's office, the prosecution service, specialized support services for victims, offender treatment facilities, the youth welfare office, and the police for risk assessment and threat management. In these conferences, prevention and protection strategies must be developed for specific cases, in close cooperation with the affected individuals.
We need a stronger emphasis on addressing the needs of those affected, as well as their children, both during the help-seeking process and in court. We call for the expansion of anonymous support services that do not require data collection, ensuring the privacy and protection of those affected. In addition to awareness-raising efforts, there is also a need for specialized public prosecutors' offices or courts, so that not only trained professionals handle and process the cases, but also that the proceedings are expedited.
Patriarchal structures benefit from dangerous misogynistic and sexist myths that underlie this form of violence. We need a society and policy based on solidarity that takes those affected and their experiences seriously and recognizes the structural level of gender-based intimate partner violence. We call for intensified educational work and empathy training from an early age and a critical, intersectional examination of binary, discriminatory gender constructs.