Protection from violence and safe accommodation

If a woman is acutely affected by patriarchal violence, the police can provide short-term protection through a so-called removal order against the partner. The perpetrator is required to hand over the keys to the apartment and leave the home. He may also be prohibited from going to certain places, such as the woman’s workplace or the children’s school. The removal order can be issued for a period of up to 14 days. During this time, the affected woman is given the opportunity to find some peace and, if necessary, take further steps. In most cases, the police also inform her about specialist counseling services she can contact. If children are involved, the youth welfare office is also notified.

Further protective measures can be ordered by the family court under the Protection Against Violence Act, such as a restraining order. If the perpetrator violates this order, he may face a prison sentence of up to one year or a fine.

If a woman flees with her children to a shelter, it is often particularly difficult to keep her whereabouts confidential during custody, visitation, and divorce proceedings, as jurisdiction of the court is generally determined by the woman’s place of residence. In such cases, professional legal and social counseling is essential in order to arrange address confidentiality measures and other protective steps.

For underage girls, in situations of danger, the youth welfare office must be involved. This can be initiated, for example, by the police, the school, or other contact persons. If there is an acute risk, the youth welfare office takes the girl into care and places her in a safe location away from her family. There, special regulations and security measures apply to protect the girls. SOLWODI also operates two such facilities, in Duisburg and Koblenz, which can accommodate girls from migrant backgrounds who are affected by violence.

After separation from their family, the girls usually have to apply for an independent residence permit. The same applies to women who separate from a violent partner and do not have an independent residence status, for example because they were brought to Germany from the partner’s country of origin for the purpose of marriage. In these cases as well, professional support is essential, as many women and girls feel overwhelmed by the procedures involved.

Young women affected by honor-based violence or forced marriage have often not been allowed to make independent decisions. As a result, it is difficult for them to shape their own lives and take responsibility. This affects areas such as finding vocational training or employment, living independently, managing practical matters such as opening a bank account, and developing their leisure time and social relationships. Social workers therefore repeatedly experience that young women return to their families despite significant personal risk because they miss their “support” and sense of security. For this reason, placement in a specialized facility or residential group is essential, as it gradually prepares the young women for an independent life and also provides a form of substitute family. Youth welfare services take this into account by funding support measures up to the age of 21.