Patriarchy a problem in German sports

All forms of violence against women are on the rise in Germany, with a woman killed by a partner or former partner nearly every two days in the country.

UN Women Germany is one of the 13 UN Women national committees worldwide, each an independent, non-profit non-governmental organization committed to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Their current campaign 'Orange The World' runs from the start of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25 to December 10, International Human Rights Day. It is designed to raise awareness around violence against women in the country and worldwide.

"In these 16 days of activism, we can deliver a lot of information. Survivors of gender-based violence can find out where to get support and be reminded that they are not at fault," UN Women Germany chair, politician and long-standing campaigner for women's rights Elke Ferner told DW. "The debate helps and it's a chance to change consciousness about the topic."

Germany's national women's football team joined the campaign, delivering a moving video that saw players reveal the truth of statements by crossing out words. "The figures on violence against women and girls are shocking every year," said Bayern Munich's Giulia Gwinn. "That's why it's important to us to send out a clear signal together as the women's national team this year and support the 'Orange the World' campaign."

Ferner believes the work with role models is pivotal and that the campaign is powerful, especially in a football context. A 2022 study from Warwick Business School in the UK revealed domestic abuse rises by nearly 50% after England's men's football team win a World Cup game, nevermind lose. Currently, there is no data on domestic abuse during Germany games.

Ferner is encouraged that sport has understood the importance of the issue, and that the German Olympic Committee (DOSB) and other sports clubs and organizations are helping move the conversation forward. In sport, this is particularly important given the problematic nature of dependency relationships that so often exist in high-performance environments. But violence against women is really a societal issue that is not specific to class, origin, religion or societal space, such as sport.

"Violence against women has structural origins and to change that you need to change the structures," Ferner said. "You just need to do it. I always say, this isn't about a lack of knowledge but rather a lack of action."

Performance is an integral part of sport, but a multi-dimensional understanding of it might help shift perspective in a country that remains driven by a performance culture.

"What is performance? Higher, faster, further? Or is it managing to look after a family of three?" Ferner asks. "Why do people who repair washing machines earn more than those looking after your kids in nursery? This is about changing business culture, but also awareness around the role men play at home and in the family."

"The picture boys and young men get of girls and women in school is a problem that needs addressing. We can't wait for generational change," Ferner said. "This is about saving lives. We need to change societal structures."

Male power structures a problem 

Sports structures are equally in need of reform. Non-profit organization Safe Sport provides independent support for people affected by sexual, physical and psychological violence in both amateur and professional sport in Germany. They are the only organization with a specific focus on violence in grassroots sports in Germany, and one of only two in professional sport in the country. They also have to contend with structures, in a sporting context, that make spaces less safe for women.

"Gender roles have become more fluid in the last few years, but in associations and clubs management positions are still occupied by men, regardless of the sport," Safe Sport manager Ina Lambert told DW. "In professional sport, there are a lot fewer women involved in training and so the space remains male dominated, and, as a result, so do the power structures."

"We have people in search of advice, men included, who see the problems and want to enforce change, and we offer them support so they are not alone," Lambert said. "But whether in a big association or a small club, perpetrators are frequently protected, incidents are ignored and so the people who want to enforce change are often prevented from doing so."

Safe Sport, which provides free psychological and legal support, has only been in action since July 2023, but in that time the number of support requests they have received continues to grow. Psychological violence in sport in Germany is the most common case they are faced with, but sexual violence is also a major problem, with about 60% of the cases at Safe Sport falling under that category.

"There is finally recognition of the problem and there is a seriousness about tackling it," said Lambert. "There is a lot of good working being done in the right direction, with many good concepts for prevention, intervention and processing violence, as well as more education, holistic training and focus on women's menstrual cycles."

Comprehensive support on the way

Germany's Federal Ministry of the Interior is leading the process with participants from the federal states, organized sport, affected parties and academia to create a central hub by 2026 at the latest. Safe Sport is also involved in the process, hopeful that the support they offer will soon be accompanied by comprehensive structures that allow for case investigation and even potential sanctioning.

Support from leading figures clearly makes a huge difference, but it's clear more data is needed. It's clear addressing the underlying issues, such as social norms and gender stereotyping, is a must. After all, as UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous said: "No country has yet eliminated violence against women. Ending it requires transformative action — greater investment, innovation, and unwavering political will."

Edited by: Mark Meadows