What is domestic abuse?
Domestic abuse occurs exactly where you should feel safest: within your closest personal circle, usually perpetrated by a (former) partner or within the family. Domestic abuse can take many forms. It is not always obvious at first glance. Physical and sexual violence are included, as are psychological, economic, social, or digital abuse. Domestic abuse can include:
- Physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, restraining, and choking
- Insults, humiliation, and threats
- Sexual violence: forced sexual acts, including rape
- Stalking, surveillance, confinement
- Control over money, documents, or mobility
- Digital abuse, for example, using spyware, stalking apps, and data tracking, or through defamatory posts on social media
Find out more about what domestic abuse can look like in practice in the Helping others section.
It’s likely that the perpetrator is subjecting you to several forms of domestic abuse against you at the same time. The lines between the individual forms are blurred, so it can be very difficult for you to clearly distinguish one from the other. In this way, the perpetrator deliberately creates a situation in which you feel increasingly dependent. Perhaps they manipulate you by convincing you that no one will believe you anyway, or by threatening you with horror scenarios if you talk to anyone about your experience of abuse.
Women are disproportionately affected. What you’re going through violates your fundamental rights to protection, dignity, and physical integrity. Domestic abuse can have serious consequences for mental and physical health—including for children living in the household and for those close to you. It can feel very difficult to seek help in this situation. People affected by domestic abuse often feel overwhelmed or even believe that the abuse is their own fault. In many cases, perpetrators reinforce these feelings of shame and take advantage of them. Here you will find an overview of easily accessible, confidential counselling services and support for your journey toward a life free from abuse.
Help Finder for people affected
Telephone and online services such as the Violence against Women Helpline offer valuable initial counselling. You can contact trained advisors by phone, live chat, or email, 24 hours a day, seven days a week – anonymously, free of charge, and in multiple languages.
Would you like to know where to turn if you need personal counselling and support? Women’s counselling centres, victim assistance organizations, women’s refuges and specialised counselling services are available to you throughout Germany. Whether you live in a city or a rural area, they offer expert advice and support and can guide you through proceedings under the Protection Against Violence Act and through criminal proceedings.
Who can I contact if I'm in immediate danger, and what happens then?
If you are in immediate danger, call the police emergency number – 110. The police can take several immediate measures: they can order the perpetrator to leave the home for several days (Wohnungsverweis) and temporarily prohibit the perpetrator from returning to the home (Rückkehrverbot). In addition, the police can order the perpetrator not to come near you for a specified period of time (Näherungsverbot). If you do not feel safe at home, the police or a counselling centre can also help you find a place in a women’s refuge.
I want the perpetrator to be prohibited from contacting me or coming near me. How can I do this?
Initially, the police can issue an order prohibiting the perpetrator from returning to the home and from coming near you. However, these orders are only valid for a limited time – a few days. If you need longer-term protection, you can also contact the family court responsible for your place of residence. Under the Protection Against Violence Act, family courts can issue protection orders.
Possible measures for your protection include:
- Exclusive use of the home: As a person affected by domestic abuse, you can request that the perpetrator grant you temporary sole use of the home and prohibited from entering it. The guiding principle is simple: the person who commits the violence must leave.
- Näherungsverbot/Annäherungsverbot (Prohibition on coming near you): the perpetrator must not come near you, usually within a distance specified by the court.
- Aufenthaltsverbot (Prohibition on entering certain locations): the perpetrator is not allowed to visit you at places where you regularly spend time (for example, at your workplace or near your home).
- Kontaktverbot (Prohibition on contacting you): the court can also order the perpetrator not to call, write to or otherwise contact you.
The court can also order a combination of these measures. If you are in immediate danger, you can also apply for an interim court order (einstweilige Anordnung) to obtain protection quickly.
What will happen to my children if I call the police?
If you have children under the age of 18, the police will also notify the Youth Welfare Office in cases of domestic abuse. The Youth Welfare Office will then contact you and offer you help and support. Your children can stay with you for the time being if you leave the shared home or if the police remove the perpetrator from the home. All other matters regarding custody and visitation rights must be resolved in family court.
What is the government doing to protect people who experience domestic abuse?
Anyone who experiences abuse needs protection – both immediately and in the long-term. There are many counselling and information services available. There, you can ask your questions and get help finding the support you need. The police are also available to provide immediate protection against domestic abuse. In addition, there are women’s refuges. These are often run by private organizations with financial support from the government. Family courts can also issue orders prohibiting contact, order electronic monitoring of the perpetrator, make decisions regarding custody and contact arrangements for any children they have together, and order many other measures.
Is there a specific law against domestic violence?
Physical violence constitutes a serious violation of the rights of those affected. That is why the Protection Against Violence Act (GewSchG) exists. This Act helps people affected where they need it most. For example, you can obtain a court order prohibiting contact. This means the perpetrator is not allowed to call you, send you messages or attempt to contact you in any other way. The court order prohibiting contact also protects you from stalking on social media. The court can also order the perpetrator to move out of the shared residence, even if they are listed on the lease.
What does the reform of the Protection Against Violence Act mean in concrete terms for those affected?
In May 2026, the Bundestag comprehensively reformed the Protection Against Violence Act. Among other things, this means that so-called electronic monitoring is now legally established nationwide. In serious cases of domestic abuse, the family court may order monitoring of the perpetrator’s whereabouts using an electronic ankle monitor. In addition, it may require perpetrators to participate in anti-violence training or violence prevention counselling.
Perpetrators who breach conditions such as prohibitions on coming near or contacting the person affected now face harsher penalties: the maximum prison sentence has been increased from two to three years.
What will happen to my children if I seek protective measures in court? Do I have to worry about losing custody or having to see the perpetrator every time they are allowed to see the children?
Family law also provides greater protection for people affected by abuse. Protecting people affected by abuse and children is a top priority. In their decisions, family courts must take domestic abuse into account in both custody and visitation rights cases. Incidents of domestic abuse may justify removing custody from the abusive parent and denying them contact with the child. In the future, family courts will also be able to obtain information from the National Firearms Register to better assess the risks posed by perpetrators and protect the families of people who are prone to violence.
Can I keep my new address a secret from the perpetrator?
The Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (BMJV) plans to give people affected the option to choose between different courts with jurisdiction in family court proceedings. This means that, after you move, the perpetrator will no longer automatically learn your whereabouts or those of your shared children through the proceedings. You can find more information on this in the Professionals section.
What is the procedure under the Protection Against Violence Act?
The procedure under the Protection Against Violence Act is intended to provide people affected with swift and effective protection from all forms of violence. The procedure begins when you submit an application. You can either submit it in writing to the court or make the application in person at the court office, where your application will be recorded. This means: go to the court registryand explain what has happened and what kind of protection you need. You can also seek assistance from a lawyer for this. At this stage, a sworn statement is often sufficient as evidence. This means that, for now, your statement is accepted as evidence, provided you affirm that the information you have given is true. The court will then issue an order that, for example, prohibits the perpetrator from coming near your home, your workplace or your shared children. The police will serve the order on the perpetrator. In urgent cases, such as when there is immediate danger, the court can issue an emergency order very quickly. If the perpetrator fails to comply with the orders they are committing a criminal offense themselves, which will be prosecuted in criminal proceedings.
Will I have to pay for proceedings under the Protection Against Violence Act? If so, how much?
Proceedings under the Protection Against Violence Act involve court fees and, where applicable, lawyer’s fees. The court decides how the costs are allocated. Applicants with limited income and assets may apply for procedural cost assistance (Verfahrenskostenhilfe). If the application is granted, the court will usually rule that the perpetrator must bear the costs. The amount of the costs, and how much must be paid in advance, depends on the complexity of the proceedings and on whether you are represented by a lawyer.
What happens in criminal proceedings?
Unlike proceedings under the Protection Against Violence Act, which take place in family court and are intended to protect those affected, criminal proceedings serve to punish offenses and hold perpetrators accountable. If the police or the public prosecutor's office become aware of a suspected criminal offence and, where required, a criminal complaint has been filed, they investigate the case and gather evidence. If sufficient evidence is gathered, the case will usually proceed either by way of a penalty order or by the public prosecutor bringing charges. Your testimony can be a crucial piece of evidence. During the court proceedings, the court decides whether the defendant committed a criminal offence and, if so, what penalty is appropriate.
But you’re not alone:
- services such as psychosocial support in criminal trials are available to you throughout the entire proceedings. This may include going through the criminal proceedings together or visiting the courtroom beforehand to help you prepare for giving your evidence.
- You can also discuss any fears or requests you may have regarding the proceedings.
- Overview of proceedings under the Protection Against Violence Act and criminal proceedings
- Proceedings under the Protection Against Violence Act
- Criminal proceedings
What is the purpose of proceedings?
Protection of affected persons under the Protection Against Violence Act (GewSchG). Determining whether a crime has been committed, prosecuting and punishing crimes committed by holding perpetrators accountable. To deter potential offenders and strengthen trust in the rule of law within our society.
How are proceedings initiated?
The affected person files a petition with the family court (often through a lawyer) or makes the application in person the court. For many criminal offenses, the public prosecutor’s office must initiate a preliminary investigation as soon as it becomes aware of the suspicion. The public prosecutor’s office often learns of a possible offense when the police inform them or when the affected person files a report. For certain criminal offences, the person affected must file a criminal complaint before the public prosecutor's office can investigate (e.g. insult). In other cases, an investigation may also be carried out without a criminal complaint if there is a particular public interest in prosecution (e.g. bodily harm).
How do proceedings work?
The family court often makes an urgent decision, on application, without holding an oral hearing. The police or the public prosecutor’s office conduct the investigation and gather evidence. In the process, suspects, witnesses and other parties involved may be questioned. If the public prosecutor's office considers there to be sufficient grounds for prosecution, it brings charges. The court will then rule the charge at.
How long do proceedings take?
Proceedings under the Protection Against Violence Act usually take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. If an application for an interim court order (einstweilige Anordnung) has been made, as is usually the case in urgent situations, the court will make its decision more quickly. Depending on the individual case, criminal proceedings can take months to years.
What happens if I withdraw my complaint of domestic abuse?
In cases of domestic abuse, the police usually investigate based on criminal offenses such as bodily harm, threats or coercion. Some offenses continue to be investigated even if you no longer wish to pursue the complaint. For these so-called offences prosecuted ex officio, the state is required to investigate (for example, coercion or aggravated and grievous bodily harm). Only in the case of certain criminal offences for which a criminal complaint is required (known in German law as absolute Antragsdelikte, for example insult) will withdrawing the complaint result in the proceedings being discontinued. In some cases, however, the public prosecutor’s office may continue the investigation even if the criminal complaint has been withdrawn, where there is a particular public interest in prosecution (known in German law as relative Antragsdelikte, for example simple bodily harm). In the case of threats, it depends on the specific act that is being threatened.
I'm not sure yet if I want to report my partner. Can I still have the incidents documented?
Through anonymous evidence collection, you can have injuries documented and DNA traces and other evidence forensically collected and preserved at a doctor's practice or hospital. The documentation is handled with complete confidentiality. The evidence collected in this way can be used reliably in court – even if you decide to report the offences months or years later. This is free of charge because either the state or your health insurance plan covers the cost, even if you do not wish to report the offence for the time being.