Berlin to get two new women's shelters

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  A resident at a women's shelter watches her children play: Two new women's shelters are opening in Berlin. (File photo)

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  Two new shelters for women in need of protection are opening in Berlin. (File photo)

Berlin is continuing to expand its safe spaces for women who have experienced violence. According to the Senate, the tenth and eleventh women’s shelters will open this summer. This will add 27 family units with 70 beds for women and children to the existing facilities. 

In total, Berlin now has space for 430 families, which amounts to 945 beds for women and children. Since 2020, the number of family spaces in women's shelters has thus doubled. The addresses of these shelters are not disclosed to ensure the women’s safety and keep violent men away. In addition, there are new counseling centers that offer mobile services and can assist women on-site, particularly in the outlying districts.

Every woman affected should receive help

"Violence against women is not a marginal phenomenon," emphasized Social Affairs Senator Cansel Kiziltepe (SPD). The latest figures show that protection and counseling services must be further expanded. "Every woman affected by violence must receive help quickly and reliably."

More than 13,000 victims of domestic violence

According to police and Senate data, there were more than 13,000 victims of domestic violence in 2025. A total of 8,652 crimes against sexual autonomy were recorded, along with nearly 1,400 rapes. The police assume that the actual number of cases is much higher because many women who experience violence from their husbands or partners do not come forward and choose not to file a report. 

More funding for protection against violence in Berlin

Berlin is spending more than 45 million euros this year on violence prevention and support for women. By 2027, that figure is expected to reach 53.5 million euros, 10 million euros of which will come from the federal government. One of the new women's shelters, with about 50 beds, costs around 1.5 million euros per year.