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During the Corona crisis, the number of victims of "domestic violence" perpetrated by partners or ex-partners increased in Germany.

Research by WELT AM SONNTAG at the interior ministries and state criminal police offices in the 16 federal states revealed that 158,477 victims were registered by the police last year.

This corresponds to an increase of six percent compared to 2019. Two thirds of the victims recorded are women.

But the dark field is large because many victims do not dare to file a complaint.

Brandenburg recorded the strongest increase with 23.7 percent (5073 victims).

They are followed by Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (plus 16.4 percent, 1523 victims), the state of Bremen / Bremerhaven (plus 13.8 percent, 2767 victims) and Thuringia (plus 12.6 percent, 2602 victims).

The Saarland and Saxony were the only ones to report no increase.

Source: WORLD infographic

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The numbers have also increased in the most populous federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia (plus 7.9 percent, 32,705 victims).

State Family Minister Joachim Stamp (FDP) sees additional need for action due to the corona pandemic.

“In the lockdown we experience massive actual damage to body and soul in families.” It would be irresponsible to ignore the protection of children and families.

“That is why daycare centers and schools have to be reopened for all children as soon as possible,” demands Stamp.

The President of the German Caritas Association, Peter Neher, is concerned about the dark field.

"The increase of six percent indicates that the actual cases have increased disproportionately." In view of Corona, it is more difficult for victims to contact the authorities to file a complaint or seek help.

"The pandemic and its consequences have exacerbated socio-economic and emotional problems in many families and households," emphasizes Neher.

Diakonie sees it similarly.

Their board member for social policy, Maria Loheide, says: "The restrictions of the pandemic have certainly contributed to the fact that help and support were sought less often and access was more difficult." It is assumed that there is a high number of unreported cases.

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Domestic violence includes murder and manslaughter, bodily harm, rape, sexual assault, sexual assault, threats, stalking, coercion, deprivation of liberty, pimping and forced prostitution.

So far, however, there has been no uniform recording.

Most of the countries use police crime statistics (PKS) figures, but a handful do special evaluations that go beyond that.

For example, Saxony counts the trespassing of ex-partners.

As a result, the states show slightly higher figures than the Federal Criminal Police Office, which only uses PKS figures.

The BKA will present its 2020 annual report on “violence in partnerships” in autumn.

A nationwide regulation is sought for the future.

At its meeting in mid-June, the Conference of Interior Ministers (IMK) wants to set up a federal-state working group to “combat gender-specific crimes against women”.

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Baden-Württemberg's Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU), currently chairman of the IMK, thinks this step is necessary: ​​“Violence in the family is neither a private matter nor a trivial offense that can simply be brushed under the living room carpet.

The victims are often exposed to violence in the home environment without protection. "

Sebastian Fiedler, chairman of the Bund Deutscher Kriminalbeamter, calls for statistical standardization as well as scientific studies on the actual extent of domestic violence.

“We estimate that in reality between 20 and 40 percent of the victims are men.

Your inhibition threshold to file a complaint is even higher than that of women. "

In addition to men, too little focus has so far been placed on children.

Heinz Hilgers, President of the German Child Protection Association, says: "The crime statistics do not include the subject of psychological violence, which can lead to psychological injuries with lasting trauma, especially in children."

Federal Family Minister Franziska Giffey (SPD) did not want to comment on request. On Monday she presented the annual report of the helpline “Violence against women”. This is available nationwide around the clock on 08000 116 016.