Alarming figures and a new high in domestic violence

On 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is a global reminder of how widespread and devastating gender-based violence continues to be. The number of cases is also increasing in Germany.

Federal Minister for Women Karin Prien emphasises: "Violence against women is an everyday crime that we must not tolerate. Every woman has the right to a life without fear and violence." In view of current developments, her appeal sounds all the more urgent.

Crimes against women and girls recorded by the police rose by 2.1 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year - from 52,330 to 53,451 offences. This does not include femicides, i.e. the killing of women because they are women. They do not appear separately in the statistics, as there is still no clear definition in police records.

The increase in politically motivated crime is particularly striking: Anti-women offences increased by 73.3 percent in 2024 compared to 2023. Domestic violence remains a major focus. It often affects victims repeatedly and in several forms of violence at the same time - physical, psychological, economic and increasingly also digital. In 2024, police statistics recorded a new high in this area: 265,942 people were victims of domestic violence. 70.4 per cent of them are female, around 30 per cent male. At the same time, digital violence - often closely linked to domestic violence - increased by 10.9 per cent.

Monika Björklund, Equal Opportunities Officer for the city of Beckum, emphasises the importance of a strong support structure: "In order to support those affected and bring them out of the dark field, a wide range of measures are required. Important components of this are guaranteeing counselling and protection, acceptance and an end to the ongoing structural violence and the resulting traumatisation."

BKA President Holger Münch also warns of the true dimension of the problem: "The number of offences against women is rising continuously. We only see the bright field here. Especially in the case of domestic violence, which often happens behind closed doors, there is a large dark field."

25 November is thus an urgent reminder that violence against women is not a marginal phenomenon, but a problem for society as a whole that requires growing attention, consistent prosecution and, above all, early prevention.