Bremerhaven: Women's shelter expansion in danger - city saves on aid!

Bremerhaven: Women's shelter expansion in danger - city saves on aid!

The situation at the women's shelter in Bremerhaven is anything but rosy. In April and May 2023, 14 women affected by violence and their 22 children were turned away from the facility because all the beds were occupied. That's what she reports taz. The consequences of this overcrowding are serious: women often have to resort to local facilities or private help, which in many cases is not the best solution. In extreme cases, people have even resorted to guesthouses or hotels to offer protection. “This cannot continue like this,” says a consultant from the Society for Integrative Social Advice and Support (GISBU).

The GISBU not only offers protection for women affected by domestic violence, but also provides valuable support in acute dangerous situations. Options for retreat, advice if you lose your home or support in finding accommodation are just some of the offers. When you are admitted to the women's shelter, it is advisable to contact us beforehand in order to plan everything well. However, it should be noted that capacities urgently need to be increased.

Financial hurdles for expansion

The Central Office for Equality for Women (ZGF) has been fighting to expand the women's shelter for ten years. It is pleasing that the city council decided in 2022 to increase the number of beds from 17 to 30. But despite this positive development, the financial situation remains tense. Currently, the city budget for 2025 has only provided 10,000 euros for the women's shelter - far too little to bring about serious changes.

The city is under pressure to make cuts in other areas due to a deficit of over 30 million euros from the previous year and the required savings of 20 million euros. Numerous concerns were raised during the budget debate, but the discussion about the women's shelter fizzled out somewhat. The CDU promised that the expansion of the women's shelter would be pursued further, but a coherent concept was missing to date.

The perspective remains cloudy

The revised concept for the expansion of the women's shelter, which was recently submitted by the GISBU, came too late for the current budget. The situation could also be similar in 2026, where additional savings of 28 million euros are required. Kathrin Stern from the FZS points out that in view of these challenges, priorities are not being set correctly. It remains to be hoped that city officials recognize the urgency of the issue and act quickly to offer the affected women and their children safe accommodation and support.

Anyone interested can contact us via the hotline 0471-83001 or by email Frauenhaus@diakonie-bhv.de contact the women's shelter. Valuable information about required documents such as ID, birth certificates and medical documents is also provided here to make admission as smooth as possible.