Germany has a problem with violence against women, according to Family Minister Lisa Paus.
“Femicide takes place almost every day,” the Green Party politician told dpa in an interview for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on Monday, raising awareness of the problem.
“Every day, around 400 women are victims of domestic violence,” she added. Demonstrations and events to end violence against women are planned in several cities.
“A turnaround is needed, together with a strong anti-violence law to enshrine the right to protection and counseling for all those affected by gender-based and domestic violence,” Pope demanded. She said she continues to advocate for cross-party support for the legislation, which Pope developed in close collaboration with other ministries, state governments and associations.
For it to pass through the Bundestag or the lower house of the German parliament, broad support from the conservative opposition is needed. The centre-left coalition of the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Free Democrats collapsed just over two weeks ago.
“The protection of women should not depend on party political calculations,” Pope said. “For women who experience violence and fear for their lives, it is completely irrelevant who rules.”
Recent increase in violence against women
Pope, together with Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser and the Federal Criminal Police, recently presented figures showing that more and more women in Germany are affected by violence. Particularly serious are attempted and completed murders that explicitly target the female sex – so-called femicides. In 2023, 938 girls and women were victims of attempted or completed femicides, killing 360 women and girls.
