The association and the project

From the idea to the association

In 2017, Stefanie Knaab conceived the idea of an app to support individuals affected by domestic violence, driven by personal concern. After several years of thorough research, particularly into the structural factors contributing to gender-based violence, Stefanie applied to the German government's #wirvsvirus hackathon. This competition invited digital solutions from civil society to address challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, and it selected digital projects in areas such as health, daily life, and crisis management. As a result, Stefanie was commissioned by the German government to develop the first app in Germany specifically designed for individuals affected by gender-based intimate partner violence as part of the hackathon.

Stefanie, alongside Dr. Caroline von der Heyden, T. Wied, A. Leder, C. Falke, J. Suckow, L. Mbarki, and J. Hirschnitz, founded the association Gewaltfrei in die Zukunft e.V. (GfZ), which translates to "Violence-Free into the Future (Registered Association)." The association’s multidisciplinary approach is reflected in its diverse founding members, who bring expertise from law enforcement (criminal police & public prosecutor's office), criminology, political science, and psychology.

Within its first year, the association successfully connected the issue of domestic violence and the development and testing of the app with the Federal Ministry of Justice. GfZ received funding from the BMJ until October 2022. In 2022, the topic of gender-based intimate partner violence, along with the expansion of the app, was successfully elevated to the level of national internal security for the first time, securing 39 months of funding from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and for Home Affairs.

How we implement the project

Since 2020, a professional advisory board has been significantly involved in the development and pilot phase of the app. This board consisted of various experts, including staff from different advisory services, support organizations, representatives from the public prosecutor's office and the police, members of the State Prevention Council of Lower Saxony, as well as employees from the Youth Welfare Office and forensic medicine.

The app's features were designed and tested in collaboration with this interdisciplinary group. The advisory board was closed during the current project phase, and regular bilateral discussions with different experts on specific topics continue. Among other things, these discussions focus on how to make the app more accessible and how to better reach additional affected groups.

Feedback from those impacted is consistently integrated into both the content and technical development of the app. All new features are thoroughly tested, and adjustments are made only after consulting with those affected.