Protection from Violence

Physical violence is when someone harms your body or prevents you from moving. For example:

• Someone hits, pushes, or kicks you
• Someone grabs your neck and restricts your breathing
• Someone holds you down so that you cannot move
• Someone throws objects at you or harms you through "accidents" that are not really accidents
• Someone locks rooms and prevents you from leaving the apartment
• Someone prevents you from getting medical help

Psychological violence attacks your feelings, self-esteem, or emotional well-being. For example:

• Someone regularly insults, humiliates, or yells at you
• Someone criticizes your language, background, or religion and makes you feel inferior
• Someone uses your insecure residence status to frighten you (for example, by threatening to report you) or force you to do things
• Someone controls your daily routine: sleeping times, clothing, contacts, etc.
• Someone deliberately ignores you for a long time to punish you ("silent treatment")
• Someone blames you for the violence even though you are the victim (victim blaming)
• Someone repeatedly distorts the truth, causing you to doubt your own perception ("gaslighting")
   

Sexual violence is when someone forces you to engage in sexual acts. For example:

• Someone forces you to have sex or touches you against your will
• Someone uses fear, pressure, or dependency to demand sex from you
• Someone does not respect your no and keeps pressuring you until you give in
• Someone threatens to publish intimate photos or information about you
• Someone demands sex in exchange for money, accommodation, or residence status
• Someone forces you to use contraception or forbids you from using it

Financial violence makes you dependent on someone or controls your means of living. For example:

• Someone takes away your money, bank card, or important documents
• Someone forbids you from working or having your own bank account
• Someone does not give you money for food or other essential things
• Someone takes out debts in your name
• Someone uses money, residence status, or your dependency on them to control you or threaten you

Digital violence uses technology to control, monitor, or threaten you. For example:

• Someone reads your messages or demands your passwords
• Someone tracks your location through apps. Warning signs may include another person knowing a lot about your messages, appointments, or whereabouts
• Someone harasses you by constantly sending messages to pressure you. For example, they repeatedly question you or make you feel guilty
• Someone publishes private photos, for example on social media, or threatens to publish them
• Someone locks you out of your email accounts, social media accounts, or cloud storage
• Someone publishes personal information about you online without your permission ("doxing")
• Someone posts degrading, insulting, or discriminatory statements about you, often as anonymous comments or social media posts ("hate speech"). A key warning sign is when you significantly restrict your online activities because you are afraid of being exposed or humiliated
• Someone steals your "online identity" to use your personal accounts, such as your online banking or social media accounts

Social violence isolates you from the people around you. For example:

• Someone forbids you from meeting friends or relatives
• Someone accompanies you everywhere and never allows you to speak to others alone
• Someone prevents you from attending language courses or counseling services
• Someone tells false things about you to other people in order to isolate you
• Someone forbids you from taking part in religious, cultural, or social activities. A key warning sign is when you constantly have to justify yourself or avoid situations to prevent "causing trouble"

Domestic violence includes all forms of violence within relationships or families. For example:

• A partner hits you
• A family member threatens you because you want to make different decisions
• A partner controls your money, phone, and social contacts
• Someone destroys documents so that you cannot leave the apartment
• Violence, such as physical or emotional violence, happens in front of your children or is directed against them

Threats are a form of violence in themselves. They are used to intimidate people and gain control over them. For example:

• "If you leave, I will hurt you."
• "I will take your children away."
• "I will report you to the immigration office ."
• "I will tell your family everything about you."
• "I will hurt myself if you break up with me."

Violence often, but not exclusively, occurs in close personal relationships, especially in current or former partnerships. It often follows a pattern of "power and control", where controlling behavior begins early and abuse may escalate over time. The risk is often particularly high when a woman wants to leave the relationship. In such situations, the violence often escalates. There are also forms of online violence that particularly affect women, such as cyberstalking or manipulated images ("deepfakes").

Violence against LGBTQI+ people is often motivated by hostility toward a person's sexual orientation or gender identity (hate-motivated violence). Specific risks include threats of forced outing or pressure to undergo so-called "conversion therapy ". This group also faces particular risks of severe forms of violence, such as "corrective rape" or violence in healthcare settings, for example being denied necessary medical treatment.

This form of violence targets a person's background, religion, or appearance and often occurs in public spaces or online, for example through hate messages. The attacks are directed not only at the individual, but also at what they represent, such as their culture or faith. A particular aspect of this violence is the psychological burden caused by the constant message that "you do not belong". As a result, people may avoid certain places out of fear. This often leads to feeling unsafe in public spaces or being afraid to seek help.

Children and young people often experience physical or psychological violence within their families or in institutions such as schools and residential care facilities. A particular concern is sexualized violence, which often begins online and involves pressure to keep secrets or forms of blackmail. In digital spaces, cyberbullying is also a major problem and can lead to social exclusion.

Violence against people with disabilities often occurs in care or support settings. A particular concern is the high level of dependency involved. Abusers may misuse their role as caregivers or helpers to exercise power, for example through deliberately rough care or forced medication. People are also often excluded from decisions about their own lives, or access to important assistive devices and communication may be controlled by others.

Violence against older people most often occurs within families or in caregiving situations. It often involves financial abuse, such as pressuring a person to give up their inheritance or access to their bank account. Another major problem is neglect, for example when a person does not receive enough food or is not given help with personal hygiene. Abusers may also use threats, such as: "If you do not do what I want, you will be sent to a nursing home."

Call the police (24/7): 110

The police can take immediate steps to protect you. They can remove the person who committed violence against you from the apartment and issue an order preventing them from returning or entering the premises. They can also file a police report and explain what steps you can take next.
The police can warn the abuser or prohibit them from contacting you. In emergencies, the police can even detain the abuser for a short period of time to keep you safe.

Call the emergency services / fire department (24/7): 112

Emergency medical services and the fire department can provide immediate medical assistance. They treat acute injuries, provide emergency care, and take you to the hospital if necessary.

Call the Berliner Krisendienst (Berlin Crisis Service) (24/7): 030 390 63 00

The Berliner Krisendienst provides multilingual support and immediate psychological crisis counseling.

Hospitals / emergency rooms

All hospitals and emergency rooms provide immediate medical care. With your consent , the hospital can document your injuries.

Illness and Accident

Gewaltschutzambulanz der Charité (Violence Protection Outpatient Clinic at Charité): 030 450 570 270

The Gewaltschutzambulanz der Charité can examine your injuries and document them confidentially. You can communicate there in German and English, and the Charité can also organize language mediation. They are available during the week.

Special support services for women and FLINTA*

• Call the "violence against women" helpline (24/7): 116 016 
  The helpline provides anonymous and free crisis counseling, including support in multiple languages.
• Call the BIG Hotline (24/7): 030 611 03 00
  The BIG Hotline provides anonymous and multilingual counseling if you need support related to domestic violence. You can also call if you are unsure what to do. Through the BIG Hotline, women and their children can get a place in a women's shelter if they are threatened by violence at home and do not feel safe. A women's shelter is a protected place for women and their children when they are not safe at home. The shelter's address is kept confidential so that an abusive partner cannot find them there.

Special support services for children and young people

• Call the children's emergency service hotline (24/7): 030 6100 61
  This hotline provides immediate support for children up to the age of 13 who are experiencing acute crises or violence.
• Call the youth emergency service hotline (24/7): 030 6100 62
  This hotline provides immediate support for young people who are experiencing acute crises or violence.
• Call the girls' emergency service hotline (24/7): 030 6100 63
  This hotline provides immediate support for girls, young women, and FLINTA* people between the ages of 12 and 20 who are experiencing acute crises or violence.
• Call the child protection hotline (24/7): 030 6100 66
  This hotline is for anyone who is concerned about a child or young person.