Family Violence: The Desperate Struggle for Protection and Hope

Family Violence: The Desperate Struggle for Protection and Hope

In Rathenow, the fate of a family became known where a child risked everything to protect his mother. Catrin Seeger, the head of the women's shelter, tells the tragic story of a young mother who fled physical and psychological violence more than 20 years ago. The children's father put their family under pressure, and despite fleeing several times, the young mother had to return again and again. After the second child, the family again fell into a spiral of violence, which ultimately led to a court decision separating the siblings. The older son Florian's desire to see his mother led him to ultimately return after traveling over 800 kilometers. “That was an important step for our family,” says Florian, who is now 24 years old. When he and his brother were in the women's shelter, the mother fought for a better life for her children maz-online.de reported.

The challenges that women's shelters like the one in Rathenow face are enormous. There are currently 22 women's shelters in Brandenburg that offer an essential contact point for women affected by violence and their children. Catrin Seeger and her team are not only responsible for accommodation, but also for direct support when the on-call phone rings - often at unexpected times. “Sometimes the police call and we have to react spontaneously,” explains Seeger. Despite their tireless work, funding for women's shelters is shaky and there are calls for a mandatory funding law. Illuminated in this context taz.de the need to expand support services to meet the increasing number of women seeking refuge. Around 270 women and children currently live in women's shelters in Brandenburg, although the need for places is growing due to the increasing cases of domestic violence.