Every fourth woman in Germany has been sexually abused by a partner once in her life, representative of the German ministry of family affairs told Armenian journalists in Berlin.
Nellie Reich, expert from the department on women protection, said the relevant survey was conducted in 2004. The EU conducted a new study among women aged 18-74, and the German data did not differ from the 2004 results.
The expert said that two third of women who have been abused are not addressing the police.
Until 70s, Germany was silent about domestic violence. The first crisis center in the country was opened in 1974, and today there are 400 crisis centers throughout the country now, in addition to the apartments for women and consulting services.
The law on protection against violence was adopted in Germany in 2002, but the country joined the Istanbul Convention late enough, which would only enter into force in January 2018. The German law also regulates the process of removing the assaulter from the house. According to Nellie Reich, the police arriving at the scene takes out of the house the person who used violence. Moreover, if the beater is the homeowner, he is temporarily withdrawn from his home, and the wife can pay for that time.
Asked by the Armenian News-NEWS.am correspondent whether they are facing bureaucratic obstacles, the ministry official mentioned that there are problems in the application of the law.
“The woman should apply to the court if she decides not to do it, the law cannot do anything,” she said, adding that refugees often do not alarm the police, and in practice the law does not always work. Asked about the reasons according to which women are not always warning about violence, she pointed out a few points:
a) economic dependence;
b) they are unaware of their rights
c) they do not know how to apply.
d) they are reluctant to apply.
“There is a trust line, which gives an opportunity to get advice, they can decide how to act," the official said.
Editor-in-chief of the Berlin-based der Freitag newspaper Simone Schmollack notes that according to German police statistics, 127,500 cases of domestic violence were recorded in 2015 and 133,000 in 2016. Eighty percent of the victims are women, and 20 percent are men. Meanwhile, 89% of the people who use violence are men.
