Deprivatize domestic violence: Freising's Diakonie managers with an appeal for International Women's Day

Created: 03/08/2022, 10:00 am

Domestic violence can affect any woman.

It is not a private matter, but a violation of everyone's right to physical and mental integrity.

Symbolic image © Maurizio Gambarini/dpa

On today's International Women's Day, Freising's Diakonie representatives are once again campaigning for women's rights.

In focus: domestic violence.

Freising

– Today is International Women's Day.

This year's motto is "BreakTheBias".

“It is very important to us that everyone can live as they are and are allowed to develop freely.

There is no room for prejudice – neither towards women nor people from other countries or cultures,” emphasizes Christina Binder, the new director of Diakonie Freising, in a statement.

According to Binder, Diakonie Freising, like the initiators of "BreakTheBias", is committed to a world free of prejudices, stereotypes and discrimination: "For a world that is diverse, fair and inclusive and in which differences are appreciated."

(By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular Freising newsletter.)

Especially now, "in view of the critical world situation and the Ukraine crisis", this plays an even more important role.

“Here in the district, too, we want this world, here too we want curiosity and openness instead of prejudice and devaluation.

Freising is such a beautiful and diverse district that people should be able to live well together,” Binder continues.

International Women's Day has been about gender equality for over 100 years.

It has been held annually on March 8th worldwide since 1921.

Binder: "In the past few decades, the focus has been on very different topics, so in the early years women's suffrage was demanded.

Also in this millennium, the women's day picks up different focal points, internationally the fight against oppression and violence against women and girls is in focus.

In Germany, violence against women, especially in the form of domestic violence, is a big issue.”

Domestic violence can affect any woman

The Diakonie Freising offers affected women a contact point in their specialist counseling center HilDa, and women and their children find refuge in the women's shelter of the Diakonie Freising.

Domestic violence can affect any woman - regardless of age, level of education, nationality, ethnicity, social status, sexual orientation, religion and disability.

"It's not a problem for marginalized social groups or people receiving social benefits," emphasizes Christina Mayer, head of HilDa.

In the district of Freising, too, it is mainly women who are affected by domestic and sexualized violence.

Men are very rarely victims of this violence.

However, domestic violence is not a private matter, but a violation of the right of every human being to physical and mental integrity.

"We stand up for domestic violence to be deprived," says Christina Mayer.

And further: "Discrimination of women is a big issue in many departments of the Diakonie: in the Kasa, the church general social work, the specialist office for the prevention of homelessness or also in the refugee and integration counseling."

Ukraine war exacerbates problems

In the Kasa, for example, it is single mothers who report major disadvantages.

They are most often affected by poverty - and finding accommodation is particularly difficult for them.

However, many women with a migration background and, in particular, with a refugee background would also experience discrimination – not only as women, but also as foreigners.

Unfortunately, also due to the war against Ukraine, many of the women seeking protection in Germany would also be confronted with these hurdles.

Diakonie board member Christina Binder criticizes: "Really equal participation in society is still not a matter of course for many women in 2022."

More current news from the district of Freising can be found here.