How Is Berlin Protecting Women from Violence?

On the occasion of the exhibition On Rape - And Institutional Failure by Catalan artist Laia Abril, C/O Berlin and the Landeszentrale für politische Bildung are organizing a joint discussion on the topics of harassment, domestic violence and femicide. Since February 1, 2023, the Istanbul Convention has been fully applicable in Germany and forms the backdrop against which laws must be enacted. It is intended to ensure the comprehensive protection of women and girls from all forms of violence. But what is the reality on the streets of Berlin? And in Berlin homes? Where are institutions failing? What urgently needs to change?

Representatives from Berlin initiatives Kazım Erdoğan (Aufbruch Neukölln e.V.), Isabella Spiesberger (Berliner Zentrum für Gewaltpräventation), Tayfun Guttstadt (Heroes Berlin, Strohhalm e.V.) and #catcallsofberlin will talk about the status quo and our responsibility to society as a whole.


Kazım Erdoğan has lived in Berlin since 1974 and studied sociology and psychology at the Free University. He worked as a secondary school teacher, school psychologist and family counselor in Berlin. In addition to his voluntary work, he is the founder of projects such as the first self-help group for Turkish men and chairman of the association Aufbruch Neukölln e.V. He was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2012.

Isabella Spiesberger is a psychologist (B.A.) and a specialist in domestic violence perpetrator work according to BAG TäHG (FTHG®). Since 2018 she has been working in counseling and coordination at the Berlin Center for Violence Prevention (BZfG) gGmbH and since 2020 on the executive board of the profeminist umbrella organization Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Täterarbeit Häusliche Gewalt (BAG TäHG) e.V.

Tayfun Guttstadt is a religious scholar, journalist and group leader at HEROES®, a feminist boys' project that stands up for self-determination and equal rights and against oppression in the name of honor

Elisabeth Fritsch is an activist and member of Chalk Back Deutschland e.V. and campaigns with @catcallsofberlin with chalk messages on the streets of Berlin to end sexual harassment in public spaces.

Shelly Kupferberg is a journalist and author. In addition to numerous contributions for ARD, she has been presenting various cultural, social and book magazines (DLF Kultur and Radiodrei/rbb) and events throughout Germany for over 25 years. Her literary debut “Isidor” (Diogenes) was published in 2022.