Bill makes it easier for victims of domestic violence to get out of rental agreements

In the future, victims of domestic violence should be able to get out of joint tenancy agreements with their perpetrators more easily. This is provided for in a draft law by Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD), which is available to the Funke media group. “The road to a self-determined and safe life is often still long after domestic violence,” Hubig told the Funke newspapers. The new law is intended to simplify this.

Accordingly, victims of domestic violence, predominantly women, should have clear legal rights against perpetrators in the future and will be able to get out of a joint tenancy agreement more easily. In addition, they should be able to demand that the perpetrator generally pay for costs from the tenancy that arise after they move out. This includes damage to the apartment, but also rent payments that still accrue after you move out.

The draft law also provides for greater protection for children and relatives of victims of domestic violence. According to Hubig, family courts should in future be able to order protective measures for the benefit of people who are dependent on the person affected by violence, even without a separate application. According to the current Violence Protection Act, family courts can now impose longer-term bans on contact or proximity. So far, however, this only applies to the person affected by violence themselves. Other people in need of protection in the household, such as children or relatives in need of care, were previously excluded from this.

The number of unreported cases of domestic violence is probably significantly higher

According to police crime statistics, almost 266,000 people were affected by domestic violence in 2024, 70 percent of whom were women and girls. However, according to the Ministry of Justice, the actual numbers are likely to be significantly higher, as up to 95 percent of all crimes are never reported.