Alternative Report on the Implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence German Istanbul Convention Alliance February 2021 IMPRINT Responsible for the content German Istanbul Convention Alliance / Bündnis Istanbul-Konvention (BIK) Federal Working Group of Autonomous Girls' Shelters (Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Autonomer Mädchen- häuser), Federal Working Group of Feminist Organisations against Sexual Violence against Girls and Women (Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Feministischer Organisationen gegen Sexuelle Gewalt an Mädchen und Frauen – BAG FORSA), Federal Working Group of Municipal Women's Offices and Equality Bodies (Bundes arbeits- gemeinschaft kommunaler Frauenbüros und Gleichstellungsstellen), Federal Working Group on Work with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence (Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Täterarbeit Häusliche Gewalt), National Federation for the Homeless in Germany (Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Wohnungslosenhilfe), Federal Association of Women's Counselling and Rape Crisis Centres (Bundesverband Frauenberatungsstellen und Frauennotrufe – bff), Berlin initiative against violence towards women – BIG, Federal Professional Association of Feminist Self- Assertion and Self-Defence (Bundesfachverband feministische Selbstbehauptung und Selbstverteidigung – BVFeSt), Coordination Office for Domestic and Sexualised Violence (Stark Machen – CORA), Umbrella Association of Migrant Women's Organisations (Dachverband der Migrantinnenorganisationen – DaMigra), National Council of German Women's Organisations (Deutscher Frauenrat – DF), German Association of Women Lawyers (Deutscher Juristinnenbund – djb), Women's Shelter Coordination (Frauenhauskoordinierung – FHK), GESINE Intervention, JUMEN – Human Rights in Germany, German NGO Network against Trafficking in Human Beings (Koordinierungskreis gegen Menschenhandel – KOK), medica mondiale, Mothers' Initiative for Single Parents (Mütterinitiative für Alleinerziehende – MIA), S.I.G.N.A.L. – Intervention in the health sector against domestic and sexualised violence, Weibernetz – Federal Network of FemaleLesbians and Girls with Disabilities (Bundesnetzwerk von FrauenLesben und Mädchen mit Beeinträchtigung), Central Information Office of Autonomous Women's Shelters (Zentrale Informationsstelle Autonomer Frauenhäuser – ZIF) Consulting experts Prof. Dr. Ariane Brenssell, Ostfalia Hochschule Braunschweig/Wolfenbüttel; Heike Rabe, German Institute for Human Rights (Deutsches Institut für Menschenrechte – DIMR); Dr. Monika Schröttle, Forschungs- und Beobachtungsstelle Geschlecht, Gewalt, Menschenrechte (FOBES) of the Institute for Empirical Sociology, Nuremberg Coordination and editing of the report Dr. Carolin Anthes / Monika Remé / Urte Poppinga The coordination office of the German Istanbul Convention Alliance is partnering with the National Council of German Women's Organizations (Deutscher Frauenrat) English translation and proofreading Skrivanek GmbH Layout/Typesetting Poli Quintana – www.interlinea.de Translation, layout, accessibility and printing are The coordination office of the BIK is generously supported by Ise Bosch. The German language text version of the report is available from Coordination office BIK Deutscher Frauenrat e. V. Axel-Springer-Straße 54a 10117 Berlin Online: www.buendnis-istanbul-konvention.de Berlin, February 2021 1 Table of Contents Severability clause 2 List of Abbreviations 3 Preliminary remarks 4 Chapter I Purpose, definitions, equality and non-discrimination, general obligations 6 Article 3 f Definition of terms 7 Article 4 Fundamental rights, equality and non-discrimination 9 Article 6 Gender-sensitive policies 13 Chapter II Integrated policies and data collection 16 Article 7 Comprehensive and coordinated policies 17 Article 8 Financial resources 19 Article 9 Non-governmental organisations and civil society 22 Article 10 Coordinating body 24 Article 11 Data collection and research 27 Chapter III Prevention 31 Article 12 General obligations 32 Article 13 Awareness-raising 35 Article 14 Education 39 Article 15 Training of professionals 43 Article 16 Preventive intervention and treatment programmes 49 Article 17 Involvement of the private sector and the media 53 Chapter IV Protection and support 58 Article 18 General obligations 59 Article 19 Information 63 Article 20 General support services 66 Article 21 Assistance with individual and collective complaints 68 Article 22 Specialist support services 71 Article 23 Shelters 79 Article 24 Telephone helplines 85 Article 25 Support for victims of sexual violence 87 Article 26 Protection and support for child witnesses 91 Article 27 Reporting 94 Article 28 Reporting by professionals 97 Chapter V Substantive law 98 Article 29 Civil lawsuits and remedies 99 Article 30 Compensation 101 Article 31 Custody, visitation rights and safety 103 Article 32 Civil consequences of forced marriages 108 Article 33 Psychological violence 110 2 Article 34 Stalking 113 Article 35 Physical violence 116 Article 36 Sexual violence, including rape 118 Article 37 Forced marriage 122 Article 38 Female genital mutilation 127 Article 39 Forced abortion and forced sterilisation 131 Article 40 Sexual harassment 133 Article 42 Unacceptable justifications for crimes, including crimes committed in the name of so-called “honour” 136 Article 43 Application of criminal offences 140 Article 46 Aggravating circumstances 142 Article 48 Prohibition of mandatory alternative dispute resolution processes or sentencing 144 Chapter VI Investigation, prosecution, procedural law and protective measures 146 Article 49 General obligations 147 Article 50 Immediate response, prevention and protection 152 Article 51 Risk assessment and risk management 155 Article 52 and Article 53 Emergency barring orders, restraining or protection orders 158 Article 54 Investigations and evidence 161 Article 55 Ex parte and ex officio proceedings 163 Article 56 Measures of protection 166 Article 57 Legal aid 167 Chapter VII Migration and asylum 170 Article 59 Residence status 171 Article 60 Gender-based asylum claims 175 Article 61 Non-refoulement 182 Severability clause The statements and claims made within this report are upheld by the NGOs that support this report according to their respective areas of responsibility and objectives. The NGOs involved are united by their intention of making a joint report from a civil society perspec- tive. Nevertheless, not all of the NGOs who are involved can support every assessment and recommendation made here. 3 List of Abbreviations AGG General Equal Treatment Act (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz) AsylG Asylum Act (Asylgesetz) AufenthG Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz) BAMF Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge) BGH Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) BIK German Istanbul Convention Alliance (Bündnis Istanbul-Konvention) BMAS Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales) BMBF Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung) BMEL Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft) BMF Federal Ministry of Finance (Bundesfinanzministerium) BMFSFJ Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend) BMG Federal Ministry of Health (Bundesministerium für Gesundheit) BMI Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (Bundesministerium des Innern, für Bau und Heimat) BMJV Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (Bundesministerium der Justiz und für Verbraucherschutz) BMVg Federal Ministry of Defence (Bundesministerium der Verteidigung) BMVI Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur) BMWi Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie) BMZ Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung) BVerfG Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women DIMR German Institute for Human Rights (Deutsches Institut für Menschenrechte) ECHR European Convention on Human Rights FamFG Act on Proceedings in Family Matters and in Matters of Non-contentious Jurisdiction (Gesetz über das Verfahren in Familiensachen und in den Angelegenheiten der freiwilligen Gerichtsbarkeit) FGM Female Genital Mutilation GBV Gender-based violence GewSchG Protection against Violence Act (Gewaltschutzgesetz) GREVIO Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence IC Istanbul Convention Länder Germany’s sixteen states LBTI* Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans*, Intersex* LKA/LKÄ Länder Criminal Investigation Authorities (Landeskriminalamt/Landeskriminalämter) NGO Non-Governmental Organisation OEG Crime Victims Compensation Act (Opferentschädigungsgesetz) PKS Police crime statistics (Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik) RKI Robert Koch Institute (Robert Koch-Institut) SGB Social Security Code (Sozialgesetzbuch) SGBV Sexual and Gender-Based Violence StGB Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch) StPO Code of Criminal Procedure (Strafprozessordnung) UN United Nations UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees WHO World Health Organisation 4 Preliminary remarks In 2018, leading women’s rights organisations, federal associations and experts specialising