Women in Germany face more violence by partners and ex-partners

More than 114,000 women in Germany faced domestic violence, threats or coercion from their husbands, partners or ex-partners last year, according to data presented Monday to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

A total of 122 women were killed by their partner or ex-partner, an analysis by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) found.

Family Affairs Minister Franziska Giffey told dpa that the numbers are shocking.

“They show that too many women continue to suffer from violence by their partner or ex-partner. In 2018, a woman was dangerously injured more than once every hour,” she said.

The minister was to launch on Monday a nationwide initiative called “Stronger than violence,” which is meant to publicize support options and encourage victims of violence to seek help.

According to the BKA data, the number of deaths last year fell by 25 per cent when compared to 2017, but the overall number of women facing violence by a partner rose.

Included in the data are cases of murder and manslaughter, bodily injury, rape, sexual assaults, threats, stalking, coercion, unlawful detention, pimping and forced prostitution.

There were also around 26,000 men that were threatened, coerced or attacked by their female partners or ex-partners.

The data includes only those crimes that were reported. There are believed to be many more unrecorded cases.

Germany’s federal government, states and municipalities now want to expand the assistance provided to women.

The government alone plans to spend 120 million euros (132 million dollars) in the coming years on the expansion, conversion or construction of women’s shelters and counselling centres.

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