This country profile presents the administrative data collected in Germany during the 2023–2024 data collection exercise with the support of national data providers and national researchers.
The list of 13 indicators developed by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) for the purposes of this data collection exercise is presented in Annex 1.
The data collected in other countries and the methodological report are published in EIGE’s Gender Statistics Database.
Key findings of EIGE’s 2023–2024 data collection exercise
The following section outlines the main findings of EIGE’s most recent administrative data collection exercise on intimate partner violence and domestic violence in Germany.
Main findings
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Victims of intimate partner violence and domestic violence
- Women represent 80 % of victims of intimate partner violence and 71 % of victims of domestic violence (based on 2022 data).
- Physical violence is the most common form of intimate partner violence and domestic violence recorded by police on an annual basis.
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Femicide
- In 2022, 87 % of people killed by intimate partners were women (137 out of 158).
- In the same year, women represented 73 % of domestic homicide victims (198 out of 271).
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Rape
- Women comprise almost all victims of rape committed by intimate partners (98 %) and domestic perpetrators (97 %), based on 2022 data.
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Protecting victims of violence and stalking
- In 2020, 2,591 protection orders were granted to women victims of violence and stalking.
- During the same year, 84 % of protection orders granted to victims of violence and stalking were issued to women (2,591 out of 3,065).
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Perpetrators reported for violence
- In 2022, 101,323 men were reported to police for intimate partner violence against total victims.
- In 2022, 150,633 men were reported for domestic violence against total victims.
Women are disproportionately affected by intimate partner violence and domestic violence
EIGE’s police indicators mainly collect data on victims of intimate partner violence, domestic violence and violence in ‘any relationship’. EIGE defines a victim as ‘a natural person who has suffered harm, including physical, mental or emotional harm or economic loss which was directly caused by a criminal offence’.
Findings from EIGE’s latest data collection exercise show that intimate partner violence and domestic violence have the greatest impact on women. Women in Germany comprise 80 % of intimate partner violence victims and 71 % of domestic violence victims recorded by police (based on data from 2022).
At the same time, women represent less victims of violence in a broader context. In 2022, 43 % of victims of violence in ‘any relationship’ recorded by police were women.
Figure 1 Proportion of female victims of intimate partner violence, domestic violence, and violence in any relationship (Indicator 1), 2022
Intimate partner violence
EIGE defines intimate partner violence as ‘any act of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occurs between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence with the victim’.
In Germany, no legal definition of intimate partner violence exists. However, police data is available on female and total victims of violence between intimate partners.
Victims of intimate partner violence
In Germany, women represent most victims of intimate partner violence recorded by police (80 % in 2022). In 2022, police recorded 126,349 women victims of violence committed by an intimate partner.
The data on intimate partner violence in 2022 is based on a different source than the data for previous years. The data from 2022 is not comparable with the data prior to 2022 due to an extended selection of offences. Further details are presented in the table at the end of this section.
Figure 2 Annual number of female and total victims of intimate partner violence (Indicator 1), 2015–2022
Findings from the EU survey on gender-based violence (EU-GBV), show that 32 % of ever-partnered women in Germany have experienced psychological, physical (including threats) or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Victims of specific forms of intimate partner violence
During the 2023-2024 data collection exercise, EIGE retrieved data on the annual number of victims of physical, psychological, sexual, and economic intimate partner violence recorded by police (Indicators 4-7).
Please note that the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) does not classify violence into categories such as physical, psychological, sexual, and economic violence. Instead, the data published by the BKA pertains to specific criminal offences. EIGE has aggregated these figures and presented them as physical, psychological, sexual, and economic violence.
Figure 3 Annual number of female and total victims of physical, psychological, sexual, and economic intimate partner violence (Indicators 4-7), 2015–2022
EIGE’s data shows that the police record a greater number of women victims of physical intimate partner violence than of psychological intimate partner violence each year. However, data from the EU-GBV survey reveal that experiences of psychological violence may be more common among women.
While 8.4 % of ever-partnered women in Germany have experienced physical intimate partner violence (including threats) during their lifetime, 30 % have experienced psychological intimate partner violence. This discrepancy in administrative and survey data suggests that victims of psychological violence are less likely to report their experiences to the police than victims of physical violence. This could also suggest that individuals who suffer from psychological abuse might not fully realise that they are experiencing a form of violence that can be reported to the authorities.
Domestic violence
EIGE defines domestic violence as ‘all acts of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occur within the family or domestic unit, irrespective of biological or legal family ties, or between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence as the victim’.
In Germany, no specific legal definition of domestic violence exists. However, domestic violence is addressed through the Law on Civil Protection against Acts of Violence and Stalking (Gewaltschutzgesetz, GewSchG) and the German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch).
Victims of domestic violence
According to the latest data, women represent the majority of domestic violence victims in Germany (71 %). In 2022, 171,076 women victims of domestic violence were recorded by police. It should be noted that the data below on victims of domestic violence includes victims of intimate partner violence.
Figure 4 Annual number of female and total victims of domestic violence (Indicator 1), 2018–2022
The police data recorded in Germany sheds light on the extent to which women suffer from domestic violence. In addition, the findings of the EU-GBV survey show that 18 % of women have experienced physical violence (including threats) or sexual violence by a domestic perpetrator during adulthood.
Victims of specific forms of domestic violence
During the 2023-2024 data collection exercise, EIGE retrieved data on the annual number of victims of physical, psychological, sexual, and economic domestic violence recorded by police (Indicators 4-7).
Please note that the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) does not classify violence into categories such as physical, psychological, sexual, and economic violence. Instead, the data published by the BKA pertains to specific criminal offences. EIGE has aggregated these figures and presented them as physical, psychological, sexual, and economic violence.
Figure 5 Annual number of female and total victims of physical, psychological, sexual, and economic domestic violence (Indicators 4-7), 2018–2022
Femicide: Number of women killed
EIGE defines femicide as ‘killing of a woman or girl because of their gender’. It is the most severe manifestation of gender-based violence. EIGE’s femicide classification framework distinguishes between killings committed by intimate partners and family members, and other forms of femicide, which are less common.
In Germany, no legal definition of femicide exists. However, police data is available on female victims of intimate partner homicide, domestic homicide, and any homicide.
Women are disproportionately affected by intimate partner and domestic homicide
In 2022, women represented 87 % of victims killed by intimate partners (137 out of 158). Similarly, women comprised 73 % of domestic homicide victims recorded in 2022 (198 out of 271).
During the same year however, women represented roughly half (51 %) of homicide victims killed by any perpetrator (349 out of 686).
Figure 6 Proportion of female victims of intimate partner homicide, domestic homicide and homicide in any relationship (Indicator 9), 2022
Number of women victims of homicide
In 2022, 349 women victims of homicide were recorded by police. In the same year, police records show that 198 women were killed by domestic perpetrators, and 137 women were killed specifically by intimate partners.
Figure 7 Annual number of female victims of intimate partner homicide, domestic homicide, and homicide in any relationship (Indicator 9), 2014–2022
Rape: Number of women victims
EIGE defines rape as ‘sexual penetration, whether vaginal, anal or oral, through the use of object or body parts, without consent, using force, coercion or by taking advantage of the vulnerability of the victim’.
In Germany, rape is criminalised under Section 177 of the Criminal Code and refers to sexual intercourse with a victim against their discernible will.
Women are the main victims that suffer from rape
In 2022, 2,808 women victims of intimate partner rape were recorded by police. During the year, women represented 98 % of all intimate partner rape victims recorded by police (out of 2,852).
Data from the year also shows that women represent most victims of rape committed by domestic perpetrators (97 %, 3,063 out of 3,146).
Figure 8 Proportion of female victims of intimate partner rape and domestic rape (Indicator 8), 2022
In 2022, the police recorded even higher numbers of victims of sexual violence committed by intimate partners (see the section ‘Victims of specific forms of intimate partner violence’) and domestic perpetrators (see the section ‘Victims of specific forms of domestic violence’). This is because sexual violence encompasses a wider range of offences, including sexual assault and sexual coercion.
Number of women victims of rape
In 2022, the police recorded 3,063 women victims of rape by a domestic perpetrator, and 2,808 women victims of rape by an intimate partner.
Figure 9 Annual number of female victims of intimate partner rape and domestic rape (Indicator 8), 2018–2022
Protecting victims of violence
A protection order, in the context of violence against women, is defined as ‘a legal injunction that requires an offender to refrain from doing certain acts and to stay away from the victim’. Protection orders can be adopted under criminal or civil laws. They are fast legal remedies to protect people at risk of any form of violence by prohibiting or restraining certain behaviour by the perpetrators.
In 2020, 2,591 protection orders were granted to women victims of violence and stalking. During the same year, 84 % of protection orders granted to victims of violence and stalking were issued to women (2,591 out of 3,065).
Figure 10 Annual number of protection orders granted to female and total victims of violence and stalking (Indicator 10), 2020
Perpetrators of intimate partner and domestic violence
Perpetrators are defined as ‘persons brought into formal contact with the police and suspected/arrested or cautioned for a criminal offence’.
Most of EIGE’s indicators collect data on all perpetrators (including male and female perpetrators). However, the data for Indicators 3 and 11–13 (on perpetrators reported, prosecuted, sentenced and held in prison) refers strictly to male perpetrators.
In 2022, 101,323 men were reported to police for intimate partner violence against total victims (i.e., both women and men victims). In the same year, 150,633 men were reported to police for domestic violence against total victims.
Figure 11 Annual number of male perpetrators reported for intimate partner violence against total victims (Indicator 3), 2015–2022
Summary of data availability and next steps
Findings from EIGE’s 2023-2024 data collection exercise in Germany underscore the persistent threat of intimate partner violence and domestic violence to the safety and well-being of women and girls.
The collection of robust administrative data on intimate partner violence and domestic violence is essential to ensure effective policymaking, resource allocation, and the development of targeted interventions to support victims and prevent further violence.
EIGE’s research shows that, in Germany, police data is widely available on female and total victims of intimate partner violence, domestic violence and violence in any relationship. EIGE also managed to retrieve data on victims of specific forms of violence, including physical, psychological, sexual, and economic violence.
Data is also widely available on victims of homicide committed by intimate partners, domestic perpetrators, and any perpetrator, as well as victims of rape.
Justice sector data is limited in Germany. Data has only been retrieved on protection orders for victims of violence and stalking for the year 2020.
Moreover, while EIGE has retrieved data on perpetrators reported for intimate partner violence, data is not available on perpetrators prosecuted, sentenced, or held in prison. This makes it challenging to explore the extent to which men are brought to justice for violence against women.
In May 2024, the EU adopted the Directive (EU) 2024/1385 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on combating violence against women and domestic violence. Article 44 establishes that Member States shall work with EIGE to collect data administrative data on these forms of violence and will adhere to common standards. EIGE remains committed to supporting EU Member States in their efforts to collect comprehensive, reliable data on violence against women and domestic violence.
Further details on the data collected during EIGE’s 2023–2024 data collection exercise are available in EIGE’s Gender Statistics Database and on its website.
Annexes
Annex 1: List of EIGE’s 13 indicators on intimate partner violence and domestic violence