Overview

• The Bundeskriminalamt reported 256,942 registered domestic violence victims in 2024, marking a 3.7% increase from 2023 and nearly 14% over five years, with 73% of victims women and an incident every two minutes.
• A February 2025 law obliges federal states to expand protection and counseling services, backed by €2.6 billion from 2027–2036, and grants victims a legal entitlement to free support starting January 1, 2032.
• Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig is drafting legislation to introduce Spanish-style GPS ankle monitors for convicted domestic violence offenders alongside provisions for compulsory anti-violence training and tougher penalties.
• Despite Germany’s 2018 ratification of the Istanbul Convention, underfunding and implementation gaps in shelters and counseling persist, contributing to an estimated €50 billion in annual social and economic costs.
• Women’s organizations and parliamentary spokespeople are urging faster preventive measures, stricter enforcement of protection orders and mandatory training for police and judiciary to address significant underreporting.