Violence in the family: the desperate struggle for protection and hope

Violence in the family: 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 of the tragic history of a young mother who fled more than 20 years ago from physical and psychological violence. The children's father put her family under pressure, and despite repeated escape, the young mother had to return again and again. After the second child, the family got into a spiral of violence again, which finally led to a court decision that separated the siblings. The wish of the older son Florian to see his mother led to ultimately returning over 800 kilometers after a trip. "It 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, like taz.de The need to expand the offers of help in order to meet the increasing number of women who are looking for refuge. Around 270 women and children currently live in Brandenburg women's shelters, whereby the need for places is growing due to the increasing cases of domestic violence.