Overview
- Police recorded nearly 266,000 victims of domestic violence in 2024, a new high and up about 3.8% year over year, alongside increases in sexual offences (53,451, +2.1%), digital violence (18,224, +6%), and trafficking for sexual exploitation (593, +0.3%).
- A total of 308 women and girls were killed, with 191 deaths attributed to partners, ex-partners or other relatives and acquaintances; overall, 859 women and girls were victims of attempted or completed homicides, and 68% of suspects were known to the victims.
- The BKA revised the previously public 2023 count of women killed from 360 to 340 due to a new recording method, underscoring how methodological changes affect year-to-year comparisons.
- The government outlined measures including court-ordered electronic ankle monitors for violent offenders, planned tougher penalties for rapes involving K.O. drops, a right to psychosocial support for victims in court, and expanded funding for women’s shelters.
- Officials highlighted major blind spots: the reporting rate for partnership violence is under five percent, around 37% of partnership-violence suspects are non-German, Germany still lacks a uniform femicide definition, and a criminology study found roughly two thirds of examined killings met femicide criteria with over 81% partner-related.