"Declare your color, stand up against violence!"
On the International Day against Violence against Women (November 25th), information stands will be set up in the county area to raise awareness and offer help. This initiative is part of a broader project launched by Landrat Achim Hallerbach and Daniela Kiefer, equality officers in Neuwied County, in response to the rising number of female victims of domestic violence.
The project, which also received financial support from both the Ministry of the Interior and Sport and the Ministry of Family, Women, Culture and Integration, aims to sensitize the public and contribute to a fundamental shift in attitude in society. It includes a county-wide poster campaign, events such as cinema and self-assertion workshops for women, and joint projects with schools and youth welfare offices.
The symbol of the project are the orange benches against violence, which serve as resting spots and encourage reflection and exchange. These benches, according to Susanne Christ, equality officer of the Verbandsgemeinde Asbach, also function as monuments against violence.
While men can also be victims of domestic violence, women are typically the victims and men are the perpetrators in most cases. Violence in domestic situations can lead to social impacts such as anxiety disorders and difficulty maintaining relationships. Economic consequences can occur if affected victims become unable to work, require state transfers, or need expensive therapies.
The politician who, together with the equality officers of the district and city of Neuwied, initiated the project is SPD member Lana Horstmann. The equal opportunity commissioners of the Landkreis and the Stadt Neuwied, along with District Administrator Achim Hallerbach, agree that something must be done against violence against women.
In the county council meeting in November 2023, the political representatives decided to increase the funding amounts for the support offers for affected women. More than 30% of the young men surveyed by PLAN international in the study "Field of Masculinity" (2023) see violence as a legitimate means of asserting their interests towards their partner.
The project in Neuwied County is one of many responses to the increase in violent crimes related to domestic violence, as reported by the Federal Criminal Police Office's "Situation Report on Domestic Violence" for the year 2023, showing an increase of 9.7%. District Administrator Hallerbach and Daniela Kiefer emphasize that anyone who thinks this topic does not concern them is mistaken.
The project aims to address these issues and their far-reaching consequences, including providing information stands, organising events, and working with schools and youth welfare offices to educate and empower individuals to stand against violence. The orange benches, as resting spots and monuments, serve as a reminder of the importance of this cause and the need for a shift in society's attitude towards violence against women.
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