Women in Germany: 55% feel unsafe in public spaces!

Women in Germany: 55% feel unsafe in public spaces!

The current security situation for women in Germany is causing concern. A survey by the opinion research institute Civey on behalf of the Funke media group shows that 55 percent of the women surveyed feel unsafe in public spaces. In particular, places such as streets, public transport and parks were mentioned frequently. The feeling of security is particularly strong in clubs and train stations: only 14 percent of women feel safe there. Of the total of around 5,000 people surveyed, almost 49 percent said they did not feel safe in any of the specified locations, reports LipWave.

The discussion about security is also being fueled by Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). He pointed out that the federal government is correcting failings in migration policy in relation to public safety, but problems in the cityscape still exist. Merz emphasized that migrants without permanent residence status in particular pose a risk. These statements have sparked criticism from several political groups, including the Turkish community. They accuse him of polarizing and promoting “right-wing sentiment,” adds ZDF today added.

The numbers speak volumes

As the unreported study by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) shows, women feel significantly more unsafe in public spaces than men. Only 33.3 percent of women said they felt 'very safe' or 'somewhat safe' on public transport at night - for men the figure is almost 60 percent. Even in the area where they live, only 61 percent of women feel safe without a companion, while this figure is 83 percent for men.

The issue is further underpinned by alarming crime rates. In 2023, around 180,715 women were victims of domestic violence. Around 52,000 women were victims of sexual crimes. A large proportion of these acts remain undetected; Only around 1 percent of sexual crimes are reported, often due to a lack of evidence or the desire to forget the crime, such as BKA statistics revealed.

A worrying increase

The numbers show a worrying trend: 938 women were killed in 2023, with almost 85 percent of the suspects being men. In addition, the statistics show a 56.3 percent increase in bias-motivated crimes against women compared to the previous year. This makes it clear that problems that are deeply rooted in society still exist.

The increase in violence against women and the general insecurity in public spaces are a striking illustration of the burden on politics. Help and prevention services are crucial in order to offer support to affected women. The helplines for violence against women are important contact points here: 0800 00/116 016.