Urgent Appeal: Stop Violence Against Women – NOW! The coalition government must not break its promise

Dear Chancellor Scholz,

Dear Federal Minister of Finance Lindner,

Dear Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth Paus,

The figures are alarming: Every second day in our country, a woman is killed by her (ex-)partner – and the trend is rising! This violence is not a distant problem, not a phenomenon that occurs ‘in other circles’. This violence happens everywhere – in our neighbourhoods, our circle of friends, our families.

In the coalition agreement, you announced your intention to create a law that better protects those affected by violence. Time is running out! Your government has only a few weeks left to fulfil this promise. As members of the federal government, you bear responsibility for the lives and safety of women, girls, and queer people in our country.

We state it unequivocally: Without the Violence Support Act, people will continue to die, human lives will continue to be destroyed – because they are denied the protection they so desperately need!

Although violence statistics are rising year after year, thousands of places are lacking in Germany’s women’s shelters, counselling centres are chronically overburdened, and waiting times for a place in a women’s shelter or an appointment for counselling after a rape are unbearably long. The situation is particularly devastating in rural regions: those affected are often left completely alone with their pain because there are simply no support services available.

We are not asking, we are demanding. In the name of all those who have remained unheard until now and all those who have already fallen victim to violence. The time for action is now! Pass the Violence Support Act – and give the people in this country the protection they are entitled to.

For the right to a life free from violence.

With urgency and deep concern,

Dr. Beate von Miquel – Chairwoman, German Women’s Council

Sylvia Haller – Board Member, German Women’s Council

Elke Ferner – Chairwoman, UN Women Germany e.V.

Sign now

Signed by:
Asha Hedayati – Lawyer, Author

Christina Clemm – Lawyer, Author

Diana zur Löwen – Entrepreneur, Content Creator

Düzen Tekkal – Author, Journalist, Social Entrepreneur, Founder

Fikri Anıl Altıntaş – Author, HeForShe Ambassador

Gerhard Hafner – Psychologist, HeForShe Ambassador

Hannes Jaenicke – Actor, Voice Actor, Audiobook Narrator, Author, Environmental Activist

Jochen Kopelke – Federal Chairman, Police Union

Dr. Julia Duchrow – Secretary General, Amnesty International in Germany

Kristina Lunz – Author, Founder and Co-CEO, Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy

Mareice Kaiser – Journalist, Author

Martin Speer – Author, Economist, Political Communicator, HeForShe Ambassador

Mithu Sanyal – Cultural Scientist, Journalist, Writer

Natalia Wörner – Actress

Ninia La Grande – Presenter, Author, Speaker, Actress

Ralph Ruthe – Cartoonist

Robert Franken – DEIB Expert, HeForShe Ambassador

Ruth Moschner – Presenter, Actress, Author

Sally Lisa Starken – Freelance Journalist, Author

Susanne Mierau – Certified Educator, Author

Teresa Bücker – Publicist

Thelma Buabeng – Actress, Presenter, Comedienne

Theresia Crone – TikTok Activist, Student

Tina Ruthe – Author, Content Creator

Ursula Karven – Actress

Vincent Herr – Author, Consultant, Speaker, HeForShe Ambassador

Yasmin Fahimi – Chairwoman, German Trade Union Confederation

Professional Associations:

AWO Bundesverband e. V., Claudia Mandrysch (Board Member)

Berliner Erklärung, Monika Schulz-Strelow (Spokesperson)

bff: Bundesverband Frauenberatungsstellen und Frauennotrufe, Katja Grieger and Katharina Göpner (Co-Management)

Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft kommunaler Frauenbüros und Gleichstellungsstellen, Dr. Marie-Luise Löffler (Federal Spokesperson)

Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Täterarbeit e.V., Linda Conradi (Management)

Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Wohnungslosenhilfe e.V., Sabine Bösing (Management)

Bundesverband Trans*, Nora Eckert (Board Member)

Der Paritätische Gesamtverband, Prof. Dr. Rolf Rosenbrock (Chairman)

Deutscher Frauenring e.V., Celesten Eden (Presidium Member)

Deutscher Juristinnenbund, Ursula Matthiesen-Kreuder (President) and Prof. Dr. Ursula Nelles (Honorary President)

EAF Berlin, Kathrin Mahler Walter (Management)

European Observatory on Femicide, Prof. Dr. Monika Schröttle (Coordinator)

Frauenhauskoordinierung e.V., Christiane Völz (Chairwoman of the Board)

Gewaltfrei in die Zukunft e.V., Stefanie Knaab (Founder & Executive Director)

Jumen e.V., Kaja Deller (Project Lead)

KOK – Bundesweiter Koordinierungskreis gegen Menschenhandel e.V., Sophia Wirsching (Management)

LSVD⁺ – Verband Queere Vielfalt, Henny Engels, (Federal Board)

medica mondiale e.V., Dr. Monika Hauser (Chairwoman of the Board)

Pro Familia Bundesverband, Monika Börding (Federal Chairwoman)

Soroptimist International Deutschland, Manuela Nitsche (President)

Stattblumen gUG, Cordelia Röders-Arnold (Co-Founder)

Verband alleinerziehender Mütter und Väter, Daniela Jaspers (Chairwoman)

Weibernetz e.V. Bundesnetzwerk von FrauenLesben und Mädchen mit Beeinträchtigung, Martina Puschke (Project Lead)

Zentrale Informationsstelle Autonomer Frauenhäuser e.V., Danny Rosario and Britta Schlichting (Co-Management)

Zonta Germany, Antje Buch (Union President)