Rising Menace of Increased Aggression
In a poignant appeal, Elisabeth Wilfart, Düsseldorf's Equal Opportunities Officer, has urged everyone across Germany to take notice of the alarming issue of violence against women. Her call for action is not limited to the city of Düsseldorf but extends to the entire nation.
Wilfart's plea is a call to "look, don't turn away" in the face of violence against women. She has emphasised the importance of social awareness, stating that one in three women in Germany will experience physical and sexual violence at some point in their lives. This statistic underscores the urgency of the situation.
The risk of violence against women increases during restricted pandemic times, and Wilfart's call for awareness applies equally in all areas of societal life. She has not specified any new strategies or initiatives to combat this issue in the context of the pandemic, but her appeal serves as a powerful reminder of the need for vigilance and action.
The concern over the increase in violence against women during the pandemic is not unique to Düsseldorf or Germany. It is a global issue that has garnered attention and response from various quarters.
Current initiatives and resources in Germany addressing the increase in physical and sexual violence against women during the pandemic include both national and European-level actions. These efforts are focused on coordinated support, prevention, and legal frameworks.
Family Justice Centers and One-Stop Shops, supported by the European Family Justice Centers Alliance (EFJCA), are aimed at providing victims of gender-based violence multiple, integrated services in a single location or coordinated manner. This is crucial for survivors during pandemic-related restrictions.
Within Europe, practical guidelines for addressing domestic violence and child abuse in the context of COVID-19 have been developed and disseminated. These guidelines are likely implemented in Germany to adapt services to pandemic conditions.
Organizations like the Gender Violence and Health Centre at LSHTM provide evidence-based insights and advocacy to improve healthcare responses to violence against women. While based in the UK, such research informs international and German health system strategies to offer accessible, gender-responsive services during the pandemic.
The European Commission’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) includes calls for proposals that fund local and national activities to combat gender-based violence, including physical and sexual violence that increased during pandemic lockdowns. As an EU member, Germany benefits from these funds to support prevention and survivor support initiatives.
The WHO/Europe framework emphasizes integrating violence prevention into wider public health and social policies, including mental health and social inclusion programs. This reinforces the importance of multi-sectoral approaches during and beyond pandemic times.
These initiatives demonstrate a multi-pronged, coordinated approach involving legal protections, enhanced survivor support services, research-driven healthcare improvements, and relevant policy integration in Germany and Europe to tackle the surge of violence against women seen during the pandemic.
While specific German initiatives were not detailed in the recent sources, Germany participates in and benefits from broader European support structures, funding mechanisms, practical guidelines, and interdisciplinary research collaborations designed to address and mitigate pandemic-related increases in violence against women.
[1] European Family Justice Centers Alliance (EFJCA) - https://www.efjca.eu/ [2] European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) - https://eige.europa.eu/ [3] Gender Violence and Health Centre, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) - https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/research-centres/gender-violence-and-health-centre [4] World Health Organization (WHO) - https://www.who.int/health-topics/violence-against-women#tab=tab_1
Science and health-and-wellness are intertwined in the issue of violence against women, as the Gender Violence and Health Centre at LSHTM provides evidence-based insights and advocacy to improve healthcare responses to such violence. Women's health and sexual health are clearly affected, as one in three women in Germany will experience physical and sexual violence at some point in their lives. These statistics highlight the need for a comprehensive approach, including research, healthcare, and legal frameworks, to address this ongoing issue.
