November 25^th, 2023

Even on this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, it is not the task of the civilian population, associations or commercial enterprises to carry out awareness campaigns to protect women from violence. This and also safeguarding the right to life and physical integrity (Basic Law Article 2 (2)) are tasks that the German government should fulfill – with the help of political decision-makers who are aware of their responsibility and ensure the rule of law. Actually.

The structural and traditional excesses of violence in Germany are still costing the lives of far too many girls and women. The inhibition threshold sinks if there are no preventive corrective measures, the perpetrators are getting younger and younger, the acts are becoming more and more cruel, the insidious attacks more and more frequent and the accompanying costs are exploding: We all cannot afford violence against women.

It is therefore all the more pleasing that the Bundesliga first division club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim is once again taking such a strong and unequivocal stance and providing clarification exactly where it is most urgently needed: In a classic male domain. Because violence against girls and women is not a „women’s issue“. Violence against women is a blatant violation of human rights.
Once again: Thank you to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim!

August 27^th, 2023

Violence against women includes physical, psychological, financial and sexual abuse. Femicides are the pinnacle of structural, traditional excesses of violence (also) against older women. It is important to recognize and address this type of violence – to do so, it must be researched, supported with data-analysis, and addressed again and again: It’s one thing to submit a scientific paper.

A whole new dimension opens up when the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons of the UN Human Rights Council, Dr. Claudia Mahler (DIMR), also references my work of many years in her report „A/HRC/54/26“ submitted to the UN General Assembly.

Even more, however, I would like my home country to fulfill its obligations, be it the fulfillment of Article 2 (2) of the Basic Law „Everyone has the right to life and physical integrity.“, be it the implementation of the Istanbul Convention, which is legally binding for Germany since February 1, 2018. This would make my harrowing reports on the status quo of politics at the expense of women’s lives in Germany obsolete.

November 25^th, 2022

This year’s International Day against Violence against Women was also the occasion for a campaign with a wide reach: Starting with billboards in the major and/or state capitals of Berlin, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Leipzig, Munich and Stuttgart, we brought German Femicides to the attention of the general public.

It is neither the task of civil society, nor that of private companies or even of sports clubs to demand the implementation of the Istanbul Convention with a campaign – raising awareness is just as much a state obligation as the realization of the international treaty that has been legally binding for Germany since February 01, 2018.

It is all the more great that the first division soccer club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim has clearly positioned itself on our side in our demands to the German government.

THANK YOU to the teams of STRÖER SE & Co. KGaA and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim for your stance – thank you for making this possible!