Our goals
Fight gender-based violence - support individuals experiencing it!!
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Education, prevention and empowerment
Our goal is to expand the app across five federal states in Germany by 2026. We are committed to raising awareness about gender-based intimate partner violence, facilitating access to support services for individuals affected by it, and ensuring the safer documentation of experiences of violence. Enhanced access to support systems through modern communication technologies is a crucial element of effective prevention and intervention strategies.
The app is designed to help individuals experiencing gender-based intimate partner violence assess their situation by providing information about various forms of violence. Ideally, it will also assist in gathering evidence against the abuser, which can be crucial in legal proceedings, should the individual choose to pursue charges. Currently, more than 80% of domestic violence cases are dismissed in court due to insufficient evidence.
We are determined to change this!
132,966 people affected are 132,966 too many
In 2023, at least 132,966 women [1] were affected by gender-based intimate partner violence in Germany and the numbers are rising steadily [2]. A dark field study from Lower Saxony in 2022 shows that only every 215th crime in the context of domestic violence is reported [3]. Every third woman in Europe is affected by sexualized and physical violence by her (ex-)partner in the course of her life [4]. Groups affected by multiple forms of surpression and discrimination are particularly vulnerable and exposed to an increased risk of violence [5,6].
Fully implement the Istanbul Convention - enforce the Violence Assistance Act!
The number of people affected by gender-based violence in intimate partnerships continues to rise: between 2022 and 2023 alone, reported cases increased by 6.4 percent. This trend is alarming and calls for urgent political action. Women accounted for 79.2 percent of those affected by intimate partner violence [7,8].
The requirements set out in the Violence Assistance Act—stipulating that every woman affected by domestic violence, together with her children, must have a legal right to protection and counselling—must be implemented without delay. As the number of cases continues to grow, so too does the need for adequate support services.
Goals and demands
Involving society
Individuals experiencing gender-based intimate partner violence (GBIPV) require both protection and comprehensive support. Achieving this necessitates a well-resourced support system capable of assisting everyone in need, as well as a society where those affected are not stigmatized and their needs are treated with the utmost seriousness. Addressing a societal issue such as this requires collective action. We must collaborate across disciplines, seek common ground, and work together to dismantle the myths surrounding this form of violence. Ultimately, we must confront and address the root causes: Patriarchal structures embedded in our society.
Urge policymakers!
Affected people need real protection after and while experiencing gender-based intimate partner violence. That is why we are calling on politicians to engage in an open debate, pass laws that help those affected and support them on their journey, provide more funding for the entire support system and develop preventative concepts.
Sources
[1] Note: In many statistics, still only the binary gender categories "cis man" and "cis woman" are taken into account, i.e. people who were assigned the category "woman" or "man" at birth. Other genders were not explicitly mentioned in the aforementioned surveys.
[2] BKA (2023): Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik
[6] BMFSFJ (2013): Life situation and burden of women with disabilities and impairments in Germany.
[7] BKA (2022): Partner violence - Crime statistics evaluation
[8] BKA (2022/2023): Federal report on domestic violence (Germany).