–
Mayor and head of the department for women Akdeniz: “Want to bundle with the concerted action and draw even more attention to the issue of violence against women”
In a campaign between November 22nd and 28th, the City of Science Darmstadt provides information on offers of help for women in violent situations. The occasion is the “International Day against Violence against Women”, which is celebrated annually on November 25th. As part of the campaign, there are QR codes in all buses and trains as well as at 156 stops with all the important information and contact points. The information is also available in translations. The campaign is supplemented by cinema and radio spots, notices on the home page of the city’s homepage, video messages and the city’s social media channels, free advertisements in local print media, distribution of information material to all public service departments in Darmstadt, all women’s organizations and public display points. In the city buildings, stickers on mirrors in the ladies’ toilets also indicate what is on offer. Information on offers of help is also available on www.darmstadt.de/hilfe.
Mayor Akdeniz explains: “With the concerted action we want to raise awareness of the issue of violence against women even more intensively than before. For many people, the issue of domestic violence has become more aware of the corona pandemic. Because domestic violence is unfortunately still a terrifying reality in Germany. Around every fourth woman experiences physical and / or sexual violence from a current or previous relationship partner at least once in her life. In 2020, in Darmstadt alone, 35 women with 33 children sought protection in the women’s refuge, the police statistics recorded 277 crimes of domestic violence. With our recommendations for action for the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (“Istanbul Convention”) and the Protection Against Violence Network, the City of Science Darmstadt is clearly committed to the motto ‘Zero tolerance against violence against women!’. But it is not enough that our professional network actively combats violence against women. Each and every individual can get involved and become active, call for action and set an example. For a togetherness that is stronger than violence! “
Edda Feess, head of the women’s office, adds: “With the Darmstadt campaign“ Breaking the Silence – Offers of Help for Women in Violent Situations ”, we are therefore starting an action against domestic violence. ‘What can I personally do about domestic violence? Who can I contact as a data subject? And what can I do if I see violence around me? ‘ We want to make the local help and advice and the central contact point, the nationwide helpline against violence against women, better known. “
background
The implementation of the “Istanbul Convention” and thus the protection of women from domestic violence has had the status of a federal law since the Federal Republic of Germany joined and ratified it in 2017. This gives rise to obligations to regularly carry out awareness-raising campaigns (Art. 13), to make the measures for protection and support available (Art. 18) and to ensure that victims adequately and in good time about available support services and legal measures in an understandable language be informed (Art. 19). The city council of the City of Science Darmstadt decided in 2020 to implement the Istanbul Convention at the local level on an extensive inventory assessment with the resulting recommendations for action.
The current campaign is one of the implemented measures.
(Text: PM Science City Darmstadt)
–
