Perpetrator work as a key to combating domestic violence: Why the Paritätische information series on Orange Days 2025 is so important...

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The international "Orange the World" campaign begins again on November 25th, and the German Paritätische Gesamtverband (Paritätische Gesamtverband) is also taking this opportunity to offer a variety of online events on the protection of women and children as part of its Children, Youth, and Family information series. At one of these events, I will be giving a presentation on perpetrator work as victim protection , a topic that often sounds technocratic but is in fact central to victim protection, prevention, and the reduction of lethal violence in families.

Why perpetrator work is particularly relevant

Police data and specialist reports show that domestic violence is not a declining marginal phenomenon, but a problem with rising, sometimes alarming, figures. The Federal Criminal Police Office and the Police Statistics (PKS) analysis for 2024/2023 document an increase in violent crime and reveal the magnitude of the cases reported to the police; the official situation reports show thousands of victims annually .

At the same time, support and counseling centers are reporting increased demand: The helpline for violence against women recorded a new high in 2024 with more than 61,000 counseling requests. Domestic violence was the most common reason for counseling. This indicates that not only are the numbers registered with the police increasing, but also the need for support in practice .

Women's shelter statistics and professional associations also report rising case numbers: Aggregated surveys for 2024 indicate over 260,000 affected individuals, a high proportion of whom are women. The increase concerns both physical violence and intimate partner and sexual violence in the domestic context. Women's shelter coordination

The German Institute for Human Rights and the German Women's Council therefore warn: Violence against women is a systemic human rights problem that has far-reaching consequences for equality, child welfare and social participation and that requires consistent, evidence-based responses . Institute for Human Rights

What perpetrator work means...and why it doesn't "bypass" victim protection...

Perpetrator work includes specialized interventions with individuals who have committed violence or who demonstrate an increased risk of violence. The goal is not to excuse or trivialize the offense, but rather to change behavior, reduce the risk of recurrence, and thus provide concrete protection for victims and children. Well-designed perpetrator work is:

• risk-oriented (focus on hazard signals and hazard reduction),

• integrated (networked with victim protection, youth welfare, justice and counselling services),

• evaluable (with clear success criteria and quality standards).

  
  

Precisely because the number of unreported cases of domestic violence is high and the serious consequences (including fatalities/femicides) are real, perpetrator work is an indispensable component alongside women's shelters, counseling services, and legal measures, not instead of, but as a complement to victim protection. (See also the positions and demands of human rights and women's rights organizations at the Institute for Human Rights .)

What the Paritätische information series offers...and my presentation:

The Paritätische series focuses explicitly on children, youth, and families—the realities of life for many of those affected. Topics such as inclusive protection concepts, protection from violence for refugee women, protection against femicide, and, in particular, work with perpetrators of violence are on the agenda. In my presentation, I will focus on how perpetrator work can be used as a building block in victim and child protection : concepts, limitations, success criteria, and stumbling blocks in practical implementation. The event offers professionals and interested parties a compact, practical platform to discuss evidence-based approaches, exchange experiences, and strengthen the interfaces between perpetrator work and victim protection.

Demands and recommendations (brief overview)

1. Interconnecting perpetrator work and victim protection : Programs must be designed so that they do not compromise the protection of those affected. Interfaces, reporting channels, and clear protection rules are required. Institute for Human Rights

2. Expanding qualitative services : In addition to quantity, we need evaluable, quality-assured offender programs; funding and continuing education are also necessary here. Federal Criminal Police Office

3. Strengthening the data base : Better data collection and mandatory monitoring tools help identify effectiveness and gaps. (See the BMBFSFJ Violence Against Women Monitor.)

4. Inclusion and diversity : Measures must take into account migrants, people with disabilities, refugees, and LGBTQI+ individuals. The Paritätische

   
   

Invitation and practical information

The Paritätische information series will take place online between November 25 and December 10, 2025 ; the individual dates and registration links are summarized on the event page. My lecture on perpetrator work is part of this series, and I look forward to exchanging ideas with colleagues from youth welfare, women's counseling, the police, and academia . Please register via the page; you will receive the dial-in details there after registration.

Here is a link to the first general overview on the Paritätische website: https://www.der-paritaetische.de/alle-meldungen/tag-gegen-gewalt-an-frauen-und-orange-days-2025-veranstaltungen-der-inforeihe-kinder-jugend-und-familie/