Germany: Domestic violence reaches new high

Berlin [Germany], August 3 (ANI): Every two minutes, someone in Germany is a victim of violence in their own home. However, experts believe that the number of unreported cases is significantly higher, as per Euro News.

Women are particularly affected - they account for almost 80 per cent for domestic violence cases.

The number of victims of domestic violence in Germany reached a new high in 2024, German newspaper Welt am Sonntag reports, citing the latest data from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA). Around 2,56,942 cases were registered--more than ever before, the report shows, as per Euro News.

Compared to the previous year, this represents an increase of around 3.7 per cent, although experts warn that the number of unreported cases is likely to be much higher, as many offences in private settings are often not reported.

In 2023, official statistics showed the number of femicides in Germany was already almost three times as high as in the previous year-- on average, a woman is killed almost every day, and in most cases, the perpetrator is the (ex-)partner.

Going by the rising numbers, the use of ankle bracelets for offenders is being proposed in Germany based on the Spanish model, Euro News reported.

They are already in use in Hesse and Saxony, and the federal government says it is planning a nationwide regulation, Euro News reported.

According to the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, possible reasons for the rise in domestic violence are seen in a growing willingness to use violence "in the light of social crises and personal challenges," as per Euro News.

However, the ministry also emphasised that a greater willingness to report violence could play a role.

Back in February, the Bundesrat - after the Bundestag - approved a law aimed at significantly improving the protection of victims of violence.

In the future, the federal states will be obliged to provide nationwide protection and counselling services. The federal government will provide a total of 2.6 billion euros for this between 2027 and 2036. (ANI)

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