© dpa
In order to better protect the mostly female victims of violence by husbands and partners, perpetrators are to receive earlier and better counselling.
will be launched at two police stations in the north of Berlin and in Köpenick in the south-east, as announced by the police and the Senate Justice Administration on Monday. The perpetrators, mostly men, often have inhibitions about "contacting a counselling centre for anti-violence work on their own", they said.
Potential perpetrators of violence can now give their consent to be contacted by the new service centre at an early stage. The counsellors could then take action in the event of incidents of violence that are reported to the police. "This helps perpetrators to deal with the consequences of their offence and also protects victims of domestic violence as a preventative measure."