Berlin Grapples with Rising Domestic Violence and Femicides
A recent response from the Berlin Senate’s Interior Administration to a question from the Green Party’s parliamentary group, as reported by the Tagesspiegel, has shed light on the alarming rise in femicides and domestic violence in the German capital over the past few years.
According to the data, a total of 20 women were killed by their male partners in the context of domestic or intimate partner violence since 2023. The statistics also reveal that in the past year, 9,908 women were victims of violent crimes in their relationships, including assaults, stalking and sexual abuse. Over 5,800 of these cases involved physical harm, with more than 700 of those being severe. In contrast, 2,674 men were victims of violence in their relationships.
The Berlin Police have taken measures to prevent further violence, issuing 2,088 restraining orders to perpetrators, which involve the confiscation of their house keys and a ban on re-entering the shared residence for a maximum of 14 days. The police also registered nearly 1,700 violations of the prohibition on approaching or entering the shared residence, as stipulated in the German Violence Protection Act.
In light of these statistics, the Green Party’s women’s affairs spokesperson, Bahar Haghaniour, has expressed her concern that the current measures are insufficient to protect women. “Women in Germany are a security risk. That’s why we Greens are demanding better violence protection, as it saves lives” she told the Tagesspiegel. Haghaniour believes that the current 14-day limit on restraining orders is too short and is calling for a four-week extension.