Red benches in Tempelhof-Schöneberg: A strong sign against violence!

Red benches in Tempelhof-Schöneberg: A strong sign against violence!

On November 26, 2025, the Tempelhof-Schöneberg district office launched a significant initiative to combat violence against women and girls. Setting up red benches with the message “No place for violence against women and girls” sends a strong message. These benches have already been installed at Grazer Platz, Wartburgplatz and Heinrich-Lassen-Park. Future locations include the Alice Salomon Park and the Volkspark Mariendorf. The illustration goes beyond the colors and designs: each bank is provided with QR codes that lead to offers of help and show the international “help hand signal”. This increases visibility for those affected while ensuring easy access to support.

District councilor Dr. Saskia Ellenbeck emphasizes that violence against women and girls in society must not be accepted as normal. The introduction of these benches is part of a larger project known as “La Panchina Rossa” (The Red Bench), launched in Italy in 2016. There is already a red bench at Grazer Platz in Tempelhof-Schöneberg, and the district office plans to put appropriate stickers on all existing red benches to further spread this important message.

A problem for society as a whole

Similar to Berlin, the Red Bank is also taken very seriously in other cities. On November 25th, the International Day against Violence against Women, city councilor Kirsten Dinnebier opened a red bench on the market square in Marburg. Numerous representatives of initiatives against violence against women were present at the opening, including Wildwasser Marburg. Dinnebier pointed out that violence against women is a structural problem that needs to be addressed from different perspectives. Important priorities are improving public perception and expanding support services, such as women's shelters.

Marburg has joined the Italian initiative “La Panchina Rossa” to raise awareness of gender-based violence. Statistics from the Federal Ministry for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) show that one in three women in Germany is affected by sexual or physical violence. In 2023, 155 women were murdered by their (ex) partners in Germany. Initiatives like the Red Bank are critical to creating visibility for this pressing issue.

Action against gender-based violence

The phenomenon of gender-based violence is recognized as a human rights violation, and the Istanbul Convention, which came into force in Germany in 2018, aims to combat violence against women. This Convention contains numerous obligations on government bodies, requiring measures of prevention, intervention and protection. Despite measures already implemented, such as the reform of the sexual criminal law in 2016, there is still a need for action, especially when it comes to supporting women from special risk groups, including migrants and homeless women.

Germany relies on broad civil society participation to create a comprehensive protection system. This includes organizing campaigns that deal with issues such as sexism in sports or intimate partner violence. The use of “awareness teams” at events also shows that support against discrimination and violence is also offered at social gatherings. In order to effectively implement the Istanbul Convention, Germany remains required to further expand nationwide access to offers of assistance.