Helplines & chats
Talking about own experience of domestic violence and getting support
Do you feel overwhelmed? Are you trying to understand what is going on? Do you doubt yourself and your experiences? Do you have the feeling that something is wrong? Are you afraid? Are you perhaps ashamed of what has happened to you? You don't have to figure this out on your own. There are professionals who can help and guide you. Don't hesitate to tell them about your worries.
The helpline "Violence Against Women" offers victims the opportunity to get advice anonymously, free of charge, competently, safely, and without barriers at any time.
Please note: All online services are only available in German.
Qualified counselors provide confidential support and can refer you to local support services, such as a women's counseling center or a women's shelter nearby.
The phone counselling service is anonymous, free of charge and available in 18 languages (English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Kurdish, Romanian, Polish, Russian, Albanian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Chinese, Farsi/Dari, Arabic). Through the Tess relay service program, telephone counseling in sign language is available around the clock.
Helpline for Violence Against Women
116 016.
Available 24/7, 365 days a year, free of charge.
If you can’t or don’t want to call, you can get support through online counseling.
- Instant Chat The instant chat is available daily from 12 to 20. No registration is required. As soon as you enter the chat, a counselor will contact you.
- Email Counseling Email counselling requires registration. Counselors respond within 24 hours.
- Chat Counsellling In a one-on-one chat counseling session, you can talk to a counselor at a chosen time. To book a chat or attend an already booked session, you must log in with your user account. The chat counseling is encrypted.
Men experience violence. They suffer violence in childhood, on the street, in institutions, or in partnerships. That's why there’s a helpline for violence against men. If you have experienced violence in any form, you can contact the helpline via phone, chat, or email. Turkish language counseling is privately offered every Monday from 6 - 20.
Violence Against Men helpline
0800 123 9900.
Monday - Thursday from 8 - 20
Friday from 8 - 15
If you can’t or don’t want to call, you can get support through online counselling.
- Instant Chat No registration required. Just click "Start Chat" when a counselor is online.
Monday – Thursday 12 - 15 and 17 - 19. No registration required. Just click "Start Chat" when a counselor is online. - Email Counseling in German or Turkish can be requested at (beratung@maennerhilfetelefon.de). A contact form on the homepage is also available. For fully secure email counseling (SSL encryption), use the "Online Counseling" button on the homepage. Registration is required but can be anonymous.
Special Consultations for Professionals:
Man-o-mann counseling
0521 68676
Wednesdays from 9 - 10.
AWO Augsburg
0821 4503 3920
Mondays from 14 - 15
Social Counseling Stuttgart e.V.
0711 3350 8784
Tuesdays from 9 - 10
WEISSER RING is an organization offering support to victims of crime and violence (note: not specifically domestic violence). Its volunteers come from various professional backgrounds and are specially trained to meet the needs of crime victims.
WEISSER RING can be reached by phone, online counseling, and at around 400 locations nationwide. You can ask about therapeutic options, legal situations, and other support services. All services are free and anonymous.
WEISSER RING victim hotline
116 006
Available daily 7 - 22
The WEISSER RING’s online counselling is via email. You can send a message to the online counseling team through a secure program.
Talking About Your Own Violent Behavior and Getting Support
There are organizations that offer counseling and support to people with aggressive impulses or violent behavior towards their partners.
The Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Täterarbeit Häusliche Gewalt e.V. (Federal Working Group on Perpetrator Work on Domestic Violence e.V.) is the pro-feminist umbrella organization of offender work institutions in Germany. Member institutions offer various counseling services for people who have used violence in their current or former partnerships and want to participate in a counseling program either voluntarily or due to a recommendation or judicial order.
The federal office can be reached
0151 156 31777
Available daily 8 - 15
The Hotline against Violence (note, the fee 14ct/min applies) offers counseling and support to people prone to violent actions. The service is aimed at everyone in challenging or overwhelming life situations seeking advice. These situations can include relationship violence, being overwhelmed with raising a child, or a divorce. Whether you're about to use violence or have already done so, the hotline against violence offers support and helps manage the situation.
Counselling is available in German, English, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Danish, and Swedish.
The hotline against violence
01805 439 258 (14 ct/min)
Monday-Friday 9- 17
Email Counseling: You can send an email to kontakt@euline.eu for counseling.
Psychological and Physical Health
Support and counseling for sudden health problems, psychological issues, or after rape.
Germany has a comprehensive medical health system for everyone with health insurance. For people without statutory or private health insurance, there are exceptions. Refugees, for example, are entitled to limited medical services under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act.
In emergencies, call 112.
112 for acute, potentially life-threatening emergencies
For example, severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, unconsciousness, paralysis, sudden seizures, severe injuries, or suspected fractures – call the emergency services at 112. This call is free and available 24/7.
116 117 for the medical on-call service, which advises you on sudden health problems
In urgent but not life-threatening cases, call 116 117 – the nationwide number for the medical on-call service. This is the call center for the medical on-call service, which can refer you to on-call service practices you may need to visit. In some cases, an on-call doctor may come to your home if your health condition prevents you from going to a practice, or the relevant practice is not staffed. The on-call service is available across Germany. Calls are free and available 24/7.
The telephone counseling service offers help and support for people in difficult life situations and crises regarding mental health. You can confidentially discuss your thoughts, feelings, and situation with trained volunteers. The crisis counseling is offered in German. Counseling is free and anonymous.
Telephone counseling
0800 111 0111
0800 111 0222
116 123
Calls are free and available 24/7.
You can reach the online counselling service via email and chat on their website.
The parents' hotline offers advice on family crises and being overwhelmed. All calls are free. Counselling is mostly in German.
Parents' Hotline
0800 111 0550
Monday - Friday 9 - 17
Tuesday and Thursday 9 - 19
The children's and youth hotline offers advice to children and young people in challenging situations and personal crises. All calls are free. Counseling is mostly in German.
Children's and Youth Hotline
116 111
Monday - Saturday 14 - 20
The Federal Association of Women's Counseling Centers and Women's Emergency Hotlines provide help, advice, and information. Women's emergency hotline are specialized counselling centers for sexual violence. They help victims with telephone and in-person counselling. They also work to prevent sexual violence. Besides personal counselling, many women's hotlines offer crisis intervention and psychotherapy.
You can find help and information in various languages on the Federal Association of Women's Counseling Centers and Women's Emergency Hotlines' homepage.
Women's Emergency Hotlines advises women affected by sexual violence and refers them to specialized counseling centers if needed.
116 016
Available 24/7, free of charge, in 18 languages.
Additional Support
There are various situations and turning points in life that can be very challenging to cope with. Help is available.
The helpline berta offers advice for organized sexual and ritualized violence. You might feel pressured, ashamed, guilty, or scared, and unsure of what to do. The counselors are there for you and take you seriously. The service is confidential, anonymous, and free.
The helpline berta
0800 3050 750
Tuesday 16 - 19
Wednesday & Friday 9 - 12
Direct counseling and support, as well as information on forced marriage and human trafficking, are provided by the national helpline "Violence against Women" and through online counselling, victims can receive advice and support anonymously and free of charge, 24/7, in 18 languages.
Violence against Women helpline
116 016
Available 24/7
Violence against Women
General information about human trafficking can be found at the Federal Coordination Group against Human Trafficking e.V. – information and advocacy on human trafficking. Read more