Frequently asked questions:

The way to the Frauenhaus

The phone number 0201 66 8686 can be called day and night. If you want to go to the women’s shelter, we’ll describe the way to a meeting point where we’ll pick you up. The address of the women’s shelter is not public.

If we don’t have a place available at the moment, under this number you can get information about which women’s shelter in the area currently have places available.

You can also get information on the Internet:

What should I take with me?

If you can prepare your departure it is helpful if you can bring some things with you:

  • ID cards or passports
  • Health insurance cards
  • Birth certificates, marriage certificate
  • Certificates, work papers
  • Urgently needed medicines
  • School things for school children
  • For babies possibly special food for a few days
  • Clothes for 2-3 weeks
  • Personal things from your home that you cherish and value (photos, jewellery)

You may be able to take some things beforehand to someone you trust, so you can pick them up later.
If something is missing, we will help you.

The most important thing is your safety.

Who pays for this?

To stay at the women’s shelter, a daily rent of € 12.50 per person is charged. If you have no income or it is too low, funding agencies such as the employment office/job centre or the social welfare office can be responsible. The prerequisite is that you apply for support there. As a rule, this application can be made after moving into the women’s shelter – the staff will give you all the necessary information. The counselling and child care in the women’s shelter are free for you.

What about my children?

Children have their own support offers at the Frauenhaus. The well-being and protection of the children and adolescents are central for the staff of the children’s area.

Regular group activities make it easier for the children to deal with the difficult new situation. Children regularly attend either the preschool group in the morning or the school children’s group in the afternoon, depending on their age. The group activities include games, fun, creative offers and physical activities, as well as the child-friendly processing of the violence experienced.

If a child has special support needs, specific issues can be addressed in one-to-one sessions.

Is the Frauenhaus only for women who are beaten?

Intimate partner violence has many faces:

  • Hitting, shoving, choking, threatening with a weapon
  • Wilful destruction of the home furnishings or personal belongings
  • Threatening, intimidating: “I’ll kill you if you leave me!” – “I’ll take the children away from you!”
  • Abuse, denigration, public humiliation or ridiculing
  • Constant calls, spying, stalking, harassment
  • Unfounded jealousy
  • Being locked in at home, having contact to friends forbidden
  • Having money withheld, papers taken away, being controlled
  • Being forced into sexual acts

If things like this happen to you, you can get help.

Are there also men’s shelters?

According to criminal statistics, men are more often the victims of reported physical assault than women. Here too, the offenders are predominantly male. What’s more, this violence usually takes place in public spaces, whereas violence against women tends to be carried out in private, by predominantly male offenders, and is aimed at power and subjugation.

In our society, there is very little sympathy for men as victims – being a victim does not fit the male role. Changes are just as desirable in the interest of the victims’ suffering as is rethinking about the structures that make men into offenders. Whether men’s shelters could make an adequate contribution here is not yet clear.