Femicides: state failure in violence protection

Femicides: state failure in violence protection

In Berlin there are frightening female female, which now trigger an urgent discussion about the protection of violence. In view of the dramatic situation, the judiciary calls for the use of ankle skills for potential criminals, while the fact that violence in Germany often fails is becoming increasingly clear.

memory of a female in front of a house entrance in Friedrichsfelde Photo: dpa

three female in Berlin within a week - these are not only figures, but also real fates of women who were torn from their lives due to violence. Daily in Germany, at least one woman is murdered by her partner or another close to the man. The perpetrators are often men in the personal environment of the victims, be it the partner, the ex-partner or even family members. The current situation is alarming and society wonders how it could go.

The Justice Senator Felor Badenberg (CDU) reacted to the tragic events with a concrete proposal: the use of electronic ankle cuffs for men who have already noticed due to domestic violence. This measure has proven itself in many European countries, including Spain. Support for this step also comes from the victim protection organization Weißer Ring, which is very committed to better protection of endangered women. The problem, however, is that the use of footstorms in Germany is different from every federal state and has not yet been regulated uniformly.

The jump from theory to practice

The idea behind the ankle bracker sounds promising: it should put women on alert if an endanger ventured near them. But in reality there are numerous hurdles. An alarming example shows, for example, for sex offenders, for example, for which ankle cuffs can be arranged according to served prison sentence, but this is only implemented in a few cases. In addition, it remains unclear which protection will continue to be guaranteed when the time has expired.

A big problem is also the delay of the signals that work out from the ankle bracker. The alarm messages have to be directed to Hessen, where they are recorded centrally. This could lead to critical delays in an emergency situation and do not offer women the necessary protection they need.

what the ankle cuff ultimately reveal is a deeper problem: inadequate state action in protecting women against domestic violence and female. Too many women live in a constant threat in their own four walls, often without escape options, since they are financially dependent on their partners. This is not only regrettable, but also represents screaming injustice.

The women's shelters that should offer urgently needed protection often reach their limits. The Berlin initiative against violence on women reports of over 3,000 inquiries in 2022, of which more than 2,000 women could not be helped because the houses were overcrowded. The resources required for this are apparently insufficient and the financing structures are inconsistent, which makes the situation in the rural regions particularly precarious.

The increasing numbers of open cases of domestic violence and the scarcity of protection options are well documented. Nevertheless, the political discussion is often very hesitant or not at all responded to the grievances. In Berlin, 1.7 million euros are recently saved in the area of ​​violence protection. Such budget decisions let the victims' effective support to be in the background.

against the background of these grievances, the discussion about the ankle brackets seems more as a temporary, cosmetic step to disguise the lack of action. Long -term solutions are necessary and a rethink in society not only wants to increase financial resources, but also raise awareness of the problem. Any measures against femicides require a flexible and integrative approach that directly addresses the real challenges in the life of the women concerned.

- Nag