The Istanbul Convention Alliance urgently calls on the Federal Government to champion the planned Violence Assistance Act.
Recent years have seen a worrying increase in gender-based and domestic violence: every two days, a woman is killed by her (ex-)partner; every four minutes, a woman becomes a victim of domestic violence. Furthermore, one in four girls experiences sexualised violence by the age of 16. The Violence Assistance Act can close the glaring gaps in the advisory and support system and achieve effective protection against violence for all affected women and girls, as well as trans, intersex, and non-binary (TIN) individuals. Gender-based violence – including domestic and sexualised violence – constitutes a serious human rights violation to which hundreds of victims are exposed every day. Effective protection against violence is currently failing due to a lack of thousands of places in women’s refuges and discriminatory barriers to access. The legal entitlement to free, accessible, and non-discriminatory access to shelters and advisory centres, as provided for in the Violence Assistance Act, is therefore urgently required.
With the Violence Assistance Act, the Federal Government can fulfil a key promise from the coalition agreement and implement its obligations under the Istanbul Convention and the EU Gender-Based Violence Directive. For years, Germany has failed to meet its obligations under the Istanbul Convention. For instance, there is a lack of shelters and advisory centres, particularly in rural areas. Furthermore, access depends on discriminatory factors such as gender identity or sexual orientation, residence status or residence requirements, age, place of residence, homelessness, drug use, or a guarantee of payment.
People with mental or physical impairments are also often left without protection at present. During the review of the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in 2022, specific demands were made of Germany, the implementation of which will be evaluated in 2025. This includes expanding the support system and ensuring free and non-discriminatory access to protection and advice. This can be achieved through the Violence Assistance Act, which recognises a human right to be free from violence for all affected women and TIN individuals, as well as girls and (co-)affected children.
The Violence Assistance Act provides for a legal entitlement to protection and support in cases of domestic and gender-based violence. The long-term, flat-rate funding of protection, support, and advisory services is to be secured through federal participation. This also addresses the problem of fragmented funding and the widely varying levels of protection across the country.
About the Istanbul Convention Alliance:
In spring 2018, women’s rights organisations and other national associations focusing on violence against women joined forces to form the Istanbul Convention Alliance. More than 20 organisations have now joined the alliance to monitor and promote the implementation of the binding convention on protection against violence.
Contact: buendnis-ik@posteo.de
Website: www.buendnis-istanbul-konvention.de
