Duisburg: Man convicted – attack on partner suffering from cancer!

Duisburg: Man convicted – attack on partner suffering from cancer!

In a shocking case of violence in Duisburg, a 50-year-old man from Hamborn was sentenced to seven years in prison. The Duisburg Regional Court pronounced the verdict after the defendant brutally attacked his 63-year-old partner, who was suffering from cancer and in need of care, on November 30, 2024.

The incident occurred in the victim's apartment in Meiderich, where the defendant first took the emergency call button from the man. He then attacked him, hitting him with his fists and various objects. The victim tried to escape into the bathroom and lock himself in, but the attacker kicked in the door and ended up choking him with a shower hose. The court assumed that the defendant acted with conditional intent to kill.

Background of the act

The background to the crime remains unclear as both the defendant and the victim remained silent about it. The public prosecutor's office had originally charged him with attempted murder, but this charge could not be proven. What was particularly important to the court was that the attacker targeted a person weakened by illness.

The injuries the victim suffered were significant but not acutely life-threatening. Once again, the frightening reality of violence in close relationships is shown here, because despite the brutal attack, the victim intends to marry the defendant. This points to the complex and often toxic bonds that can exist between violent partners. Such relationships are often characterized by a vicious circle of violence, which also addresses the problem of violence against women in Germany, which continues to have alarming proportions.

Statistics on violence against women

Statista makes it clear that violence against women is widespread in Germany and often takes place in personal environments. In 2023, approximately 181,000 of the total 256,000 victims of domestic violence were female, a staggering 71%. Women in relationships are particularly affected, where the majority of cases involve violence.

• Im Jahr 2023 waren 133.000 von 168.000 Opfern von Partnerschaftsgewalt weiblich (79%)
• Häusliche Gewalt bleibt oft unentdeckt und wird in offiziellen Statistiken unterrepräsentiert
• Über 144.000 Fälle vorsätzlicher einfacher Körperverletzung wurden registriert

Offers of help and support

There is help for those affected: The “Violence against Women” helpline on 116 016 recorded around 86,700 contacts in 2023. This situation highlights the need to bring the issue of violence against women more into the focus of society and to make offers of help more accessible.

The tragic incidents in Duisburg inevitably raise questions and highlight the deep problem areas associated with domestic and partner violence. In a society where every person should live safely, it is crucial that we as a community are vigilant and do not ignore grievances.