Project Kosi in Frankfurt: girls, get the city back!

Angelina shrugs her shoulders: "Zeil is just like that.

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They then claim the right to do that.” She speaks of men who follow girls like her with lewd looks and calls when she moves on the line between the main and constable guards.

Men have already approached her and her friend Lara two or three times: "They come closer, then turn around more often, look at you, stare at you, stop," Lara describes.

A wink, a smile, "that's uncomfortable," she says, "but it's also become normal.

You don't do anything against it anymore."

Girls like Lara practically praise profanity like the catcalling called catcalling when they go on a shopping spree.

The result: Young women are increasingly withdrawing from public spaces that appear threatening, describes qualified teacher Sinah Klockemann.

Anyone strolling attentively along the Zeil will immediately notice it.

Above all, those who perceive the area less as a shopping mile and more as a social meeting place are mostly male and travel in groups.

Girls, on the other hand, hardly claim public space for themselves.

Choice of shelter, discussion corner or information room

Because the Frankfurter AG Mädchenpolitik has seen increasing numbers of girls disappearing from public space, especially since the beginning of the corona pandemic, an idea for a counter-offensive came up.

A group of social organizations developed the project "kosi - city for girls*" under the direction of Sinah Klockemann.

Kosi – a play on words from “Konsti”, meaning constable guard, and “cozy”, the English term for cozy – starts right where the action is.

On Stiftstrasse, a side street of the Zeil, there is something that can be either a shelter, a discussion corner or an information room in a comfortably small area.

“Load up the mobile phone, go to the toilet, talk to a nice person, have a cup of tea or simply have a small, safe retreat in the unmanageable inner city area”, that is what Kosis wants, Klockemann describes.

During the week, project employees are on site from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and can be contacted, on Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

"If groups of girls stay longer in certain places, we let them know that we are there for them," she says.

The team is currently made up of Klockemann himself, the social worker Meike Beelitz and the two student assistants Sina Mares and Paula Reischl.

They can be recognized by their baby blue Kosi sweaters.

"There are always two of us on the road if there are tricky situations," says the project manager.

Get known and build trust

Since the pop-up girls' center has only existed since the beginning of November, she says that it is now important to make yourself known as a "direct, mobile address" and to build trust with the girls.

For example, the employees would get in touch with the local shopkeepers so that they can refer young women and girls to Kosi in case of doubt.

The project workers themselves have the opportunity to establish contacts between girls seeking protection and youth organizations or counseling centers.

Conversely, as part of Kosi, Klockemann is planning projects with girls who are already in contact with the organizations involved, such as the Junularo eV's Mafalda cultural center for girls

Kosi's declared goal is to work preventively, to provide educational work and to teach the girls strategies for situations in which they feel uncomfortable.

This is the only way to fulfill the slogans of the participating organizations - "Girls, get the city back!" and "Don't spread yourself so much, boys!".

“For example, we are planning a campaign in December where we want to invite girls to the city centre.

Then we will take up space together in the crowded Christmas shopping mood," says Klockemann.

Further financing still unclear

Kosi emerged from the collaboration between the Junularo Frankfurt eV, Caritas Frankfurt, the International Union and the Evangelical Association for Youth Social Work in Frankfurt am Main.

"It's very innovative that the sponsors come together for a topic, everyone stands behind it and supports each other," says the project manager.

The only question is the financing of Kosi so far.

The project is currently approved until the end of the year, but the youth and social welfare office has not yet confirmed whether funds will also flow in 2023.

However: In order to give the girls on the Zeil security and trust, a long-term offer is needed.

To do this, Kosi must first be able to establish himself.