Frontline Response to High Impact Domestic Violence in Germany

Abstract

With a total of 141,792 incidents in 2019, domestic violence is a serious problem throughout Germany. The country chapter provides an overview of crime statistics and results from victim studies and a cost study. Concerning legislation, there have been two major waves improving victim protection in recent times, initiated by implementing the Act on Protection against Violence in 2002 and the ratification of the Istanbul Convention in 2018. An ongoing trend towards interagency cooperation and setting up coordination bodies can be noted in the social sector, also incorporating law enforcement agencies and medical institutions. After delineating the scope of responsibilities of front-line responders in the police, medical, and social sectors, the country chapter describes examples of good practices for interagency cooperation. The country chapter concludes with the main challenges to be anticipated in combatting domestic violence. The three main objectives identified are minimising unreported cases, expanding the scope of interventions, and improving victim protection in the short and medium-term. In the long term, the implementation of policies and standards will be vital to evaluate and improve prevention and protection measures to assure a high and nationwide comparable quality standard.