"Women are often blamed when they experience violence," reports the district's equal opportunities officer, Cynthia Schönau. As a result, those affected do not talk about what they have experienced out of shame and fear. "We want to change that," says Schönau.
In 2023, 783 people were victims of domestic violence/partner violence in the district of Ludwigsburg alone according to the police headquarters' security report (2022: 767). 76.8 percent of the victims, and therefore the overwhelming majority, were female. In violent partnerships, women are primarily victims of assault. The spiral of violence ranges from minor bodily injury (341 female victims) to dangerous or serious bodily injury (46 female victims). In the district of Ludwigsburg, 86.2 percent of victims of crimes against sexual consent were female. Of the rape victims, 97 percent were women. In 85.3 percent of all rape victims, there was a previous relationship with the perpetrator.
However, it is assumed that the cases reported to the police only represent the tip of the iceberg. According to the victim protection association "WEISSER RING", the number of unreported cases is significantly higher.
Every fourth woman in Germany experiences domestic violence
A femicide - the killing of women because they are women - occurs almost every day in Germany. The district is also affected. The nationwide help hotline assumes that one in three women in Germany has been affected by sexual and/or physical violence in her lifetime. Every fourth woman in Germany experiences physical and/or sexual violence in her relationship. However, only around 20 percent of women who experience violence actually contact a counseling center.
This is where the "Violence against women" helpline, which is available around the clock, comes in: By calling 116 016 free of charge and via www.hilfetelefon.de, affected women, people from the social environment of those affected and professionals can obtain advice on all forms of violence against women. The service is also aimed at professionals such as doctors, nurses, teachers and sports coaches.
Both telephone and online counselling are confidential: calls cannot be traced, email exchanges and chats are anonymous. There are no language barriers: interpreters for 18 foreign languages can be added to the conversations at any time. Hearing-impaired people can also contact the helpline via a sign language interpreting service.
