New counselling center for perpetrators of domestic violence opens

24.03.2026

The new specialized intervention and counseling center for perpetrators of domestic violence in Bremen is reshaping the way perpetrators are worked with. Since January 2026, the project, run by the Hoppenbank association, has offered, for the first time, permanently established, quality-assured perpetrator support according to nationwide standards – a crucial addition to existing victim protection structures.

Work with perpetrators begins where violence originates

The current nationwide discussion on digital violence clearly demonstrates the importance of working with perpetrators to end this violence. To break cycles of violence, perpetrator intervention focuses on the source of the violence – those who perpetrate it. The proactive counseling program Intervention.Plus supports participants in sustainably ending their violent behavior. Claudia, Senator for Health, Women, and Consumer Protection, explains: “In this field, attention is usually focused on the victims. At the same time, however, it is crucial to examine the perpetrators – mostly men – in order to address the root cause of the violence. With Intervention.Plus, there is now a professionally based program that helps prevent further acts of violence and enables perpetrators to adopt non-violent behavior. Therefore, expanding perpetrator intervention is an important component in the implementation of our state action plan for the Istanbul Convention.”

"Change and sustainable security are possible"

Svenja Böning, Managing Director of Hoppenbank eV, emphasizes the professional focus: “Violence is a learned behavior that can also be unlearned. Change and lasting safety are possible – provided that the perpetrators can take responsibility for their actions. A reliable intervention chain to protect victims must consider this aspect.”

Breaking the cycle of violence – How does working with perpetrators function?

The program directly addresses the root causes of violence. In social-therapeutic group and individual settings, perpetrators of domestic violence learn, among other things, to identify their own risk situations and physical warning signs early on. Instead of acting impulsively, they develop concrete emergency plans (time-out techniques) to leave the situation peacefully. A key aspect is working on taking responsibility: Justification strategies (for example, blaming the victim) are uncovered to promote accountability on the part of the perpetrators and to sustainably establish new, non-violent conflict resolution patterns. Intervention.plus works closely with victim support services, the police, and the justice system to protect victims of domestic violence.

Background to the State Action Plan on the Istanbul Convention:

In 2022, Bremen presented its state action plan, "Implementing the Istanbul Convention – Protecting Women and Children from Violence." It includes more than 70 measures to protect women and children from gender-based violence. From 2022 to 2025, the Senate allocated €3.15 million to the action plan, which the participating departments supplemented with their own budget funds. A second state action plan, building on the successful implementation of the previous measures, will be developed in 2026. The Istanbul Convention is an international treaty of the Council of Europe on preventing and combating violence against women and girls, including domestic violence. In Germany, the Istanbul Convention has been legally binding for legislators, courts, and authorities at the federal, state, and local levels since February 2018.

Source: Press Office of the Senate of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, The Senator for Health, Women and Consumer Protection / Hoppenbank eV, Press Release , March 23, 2026