Kick-off for campaign against domestic violence

Jena is taking a stand against domestic violence. The city is taking part in the "Act - now!" campaign of the municipal equal opportunities commissioners with their local networks against domestic violence and the state equal opportunities commissioners. The campaign runs from November 16 to November 25, the International Day against Violence against Women. On each of these days, the city of Jena will publish a post on its social media channels about a different aspect of domestic violence.

Women are abused, beaten and murdered behind their front door - by the men they live with or have lived with. Every second day in Germany, a woman dies at the hands of "her" husband. One of the main problems in protecting against violence is the invisibility of the violence and the ignorance of those affected. Very few women affected by violence seek help, and even fewer know who could help them and who they should turn to. The campaign's approach is to change this.

Around a quarter of all women experience violence

Women who experience or have experienced violence are everywhere - but they are usually invisible. Around a quarter of all women experience intimate partner violence in the course of their lives, and a third experience sexualized violence. In 2023, 257 women with 246 children sought protection in the twelve women's shelters funded by the state - that is only a fraction of the women actually affected. "It's no different in Thuringia. It is still assumed that around 90 % of the crimes remain undetected, i.e. go unreported," says the state working group of equal opportunities officers.

The aim of the campaign is to inform as many women as possible who experience violence at home and those around them in social networks about help services. "Only those who know that there is help and protection from a violent man have a chance of escaping violence," says Gabi Ohler, the Commissioner for Gender Equality of the Free State of Thuringia. "Violence against women is the biggest everyday human rights violation in Germany."

More than 200 advice centers in Thuringia

The campaign refers to more than 200 advice centers throughout Thuringia that offer help for women, children and men, both as victims and perpetrators. These are visible all year round as offers of help from the municipalities and the state at: https://www.handle-jetzt.de/(link is external)

"Victims and perpetrators, adults and children, men and women can find free, confidential contact points here. Don't hesitate to contact them, get advice from experts - act now", says the state working group of equal opportunities officers.

The 10-day campaign will be accompanied by local events and public activities in many of the 29 participating Thuringian regions, to which interested parties are very welcome.

Background information

The Handle-now network has grown in the three years of its existence. There are now partners in almost all districts and independent cities. The 29 participating municipalities in addition to the Free State of Thuringia are: Altenburger Land, Apolda, Erfurt, Eisenach, Gera, Gotha, Ilmenau, Ilm-Kreis, Jena, Kyffhäuserkreis, Landkreis Eichsfeld, Landkreis Gotha, Landkreis Greiz, Landkreis Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, Landkreis Sömmerda, Landkreis Sonneberg, Meiningen, Mühlhausen, Nordhausen, Rudolstadt, Saale-Holzland-Kreis, Saale-Orla-Kreis, Saalfeld, Sondershausen, Sonneberg, Suhl, Wartburgkreis, Weimar and Weimarer Land.