Domestic violence statistics show rising need for male victim support in Germany

Recent data from the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office indicates that in 2024, 18,528 people were victims of domestic violence, with 4,129 of those being men. This aligns with broader findings from the Federal Criminal Police Office, which suggests that nearly 30 percent of recorded domestic violence victims are male.

Despite these figures, specialized support services for men remain limited. In Darmstadt, a pilot project has opened the first protective housing specifically for male victims, managed by the Flexible Jugendhilfe association. This facility provides individual rooms for men and a room for children to facilitate social-pedagogical support and stabilization.

In Düsseldorf, the SKM gGmbH counseling center reported a record high in the first half of 2026, with over 120 men seeking assistance. Of these, 56 reported violence within partnerships or families. The center’s shelter, ‘Freiraum’, is the first of its kind in North Rhine-Westphalia, offering short-term stays for men experiencing physical or psychological abuse.