The dark figure study LeSuBiA shows that less than ten percent of experiences of violence are reported. Women, young people, people with a migration background, and members of the queer community are particularly often affected by violence
The majority of experiences of violence go unreported
A large proportion of experiences of violence in Germany go unreported. Reporting rates are consistently low, regardless of the form of violence perpetrated; for most forms of violence, they are below ten percent. Within (former) partnerships, reporting rates for psychological and physical violence are even lower, below five percent. This is a key finding of the dark figure study "Living Situation, Safety and Stress in Everyday Life (LeSuBiA)," conducted by the Federal Criminal Police Office in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Ministry of Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.
Women are usually more frequently and severely affected than men
Another finding of the study: Women are usually more frequently and severely affected by partner or gender-specific violence than men, especially in cases of sexual assault, sexual harassment and stalking.
Federal Family Minister Karin Prien: “The figures reveal what has long been hidden: the number of unreported cases of domestic and sexual violence is enormous. Violence is not a fringe phenomenon; it affects millions of people in our country. Almost one in six people experiences physical violence in a relationship – and 19 out of 20 incidents go unreported. This silence is not an individual failing, but rather an expression of fear and an apparent lack of access to help. That is precisely why we are removing barriers and creating a reliable, nationwide safety net with the Violence Assistance Act. We must prevent violence before it occurs. Guilt and shame always lie with the perpetrators, never with the victims.”
Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt: “It’s about putting the victims of violence at the center. Victims need protection and must be able to move freely. That’s why it’s good that the Spanish model of electronic tagging is now also being introduced in Germany.”
Date rape drugs will henceforth be punished like weapons
The use of date rape drugs will henceforth be punished in the same way as the use of a firearm. "We are starting early and educating young people about where violence in a partnership begins. It's about more protection for victims and harsher penalties for perpetrators," said BKA President Holger Münch. President Münch added: "With LeSuBiA, we now have, for the first time, comprehensive, gender-independent data on unreported cases of violence in Germany. This reliable data basis contributes to the targeted development of protection and support services. At the same time, we must ensure that more victims find the courage to report violence in order to receive support."
Violence affects women – and men
Another key finding of the dark figure study: Women and men are affected by both psychological and physical violence in (ex-)partnerships with similar frequency within the last five years. However, compared to men, women suffer more injuries in violent situations, perceive the danger to their lives as greater, and experience more intense fear. In addition to gender, age also plays a role in experiences of violence. Young people are significantly more likely to be affected by almost all forms of violence than older people. Younger individuals are particularly frequently victims of violence through sexual harassment, digital violence, and date rape drugs.
Often already experienced violence in childhood and adolescence
A significant portion of the population reports having experienced violence from parents or guardians during childhood and adolescence. More than half of all young people have experienced physical violence, and more than a third have experienced psychological violence. Almost a quarter have witnessed violence between their parents or guardians. Those who have experienced violence between parents or guardians are also more likely to have been victims of violence from their parents or guardians themselves. Other groups particularly affected by violence compared to the rest of the population include people with a migration background—again, primarily women—and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Selected findings from LeSuBiA on individual forms of violence at a glance:
- Nearly half of the women (48.7%) and 40.0% of the men have experienced psychological violence in a (former) partnership men are also comparatively frequently affected by psychological violence (men: 23.3%; women: 23.8%) and, in particular, by controlling violence (men: 8.7%; women: 7.1%).
- of physical violence in a (former) partnership at some point in their lives, and 5.7% within the last five years. Looking at the last five years, women (5.2%) and men (6.1%) experienced physical violence almost equally.
- Almost half of all people (45.8%) have experienced sexual harassment non-physical sexual harassment were 14.5% for women and 4.6% for men. Perpetrators are predominantly strangers or people they barely know.
- More than one in ten people (11.2%) have been victims of sexual assault ; within the last five years, this figure was 2.7% of respondents. Here, too, women (4.0%) are significantly more affected than men (1.4%). For women, the perpetrator was most often an ex-partner (46.5%), while for men it was a casual acquaintance (33.3%).
- More than one in five people (21.2%) have been affected by stalking , with 9.0% experiencing it within the last five years. Slightly higher prevalence rates are observed among women: 10.6% of women and 7.0% of men have experienced stalking within the last five years.
- digital violence in the last five years . The victims are comparatively young – over 60% of 16- to 17-year-old girls and around 33% of 16- to 17-year-old boys were victims of digital violence in the last five years.
About the study “Living situation, safety and stress in everyday life” (LeSuBiA)
LeSuBiA is a dark figure survey on violence in Germany. For the first time, the study comprehensively examines how many people are actually affected by violence – regardless of whether these acts were reported to the police or reported. Around 15,000 people aged 16 to 85 were surveyed between July 2023 and January 2025 about their experiences, attitudes, and behaviors in various areas of life, particularly regarding intimate partner violence, sexual violence, stalking, and violence in the digital sphere. In addition, information was collected on experiences with the police, medical professionals, the justice system, and victim support services, as well as socio-structural characteristics and living environment.
Because both men and women were interviewed, direct and in-depth comparisons between the sexes are possible, unlike in previous studies on gender-based violence. The study thus closes a long-standing data gap in Germany. The results of LeSuBiA are intended to provide a reliable empirical basis for political decisions, prevention measures, and support services. They should help to better understand gender-specific differences in the experience of violence and to highlight discrepancies between reported and unreported cases. In this way, the study contributes to the further development of targeted measures to protect all people, to raising awareness in everyday life, and to improving approaches to prevention, victim protection, and intervention.
The results and further information on LeSuBiA can be found here: www.bka.de/lesubia
Source: Federal Ministry of Education, Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Press Release , February 10, 2006