❗ In acute emergencies
The BIG Hotline is available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:
📞 030 611 0300 or call the police on 110.
www.big-hotline.de ✉️ beratung@big-hotline.de
Who do we offer advice to?
We offer support to women and girls who:
- are affected by threats made in the name of “honour”,
- experience violence or death threats within their family or community,
- fear forced marriage, isolation or control,
- or are struggling to come to terms with trauma or loss following a femicide in their community.
Whether the danger is immediate or you “just’” have a nagging feeling: we take every concern seriously.
Topics we can offer support with:
- Immediate threats from family members or partners
- Psychological consequences of honour-related threats or femicides in the community
- Planning an escape and finding safe accommodation
- Legal action (e.g. protection orders, reporting the crime to the police)
- Grief counselling following femicides
- Support for relatives and witnesses
Goals of counseling
Together, we will work out the next steps for
- Immediate safety
- Mental stability
- Legal and practical options
- Long-term prospects
The counseling process
- Initial contact
- Confidential risk assessment – no pressure, complete confidentiality.
- Assessment: Are there any immediate warning signs? Who is connected to your system?
- Planning for protection
- Practical steps to take in an emergency (e.g. code words, emergency luggage, contacts for trusted individuals).
- Options for anonymous accommodation.
- Legal options
- Information about your rights (e.g. the relevant sections of the German Criminal Code § 237 StGB – forced marriage, § 212 StGB – homicides).
- Assistance with filing legal complaints or applications for protection.
- Psychosocial counseling
- Trauma-informed counselling and referral to therapy services..
- Follow-up & referrals
- Long-term support – even after the immediate crisis.
- Links with specialist support services.
Honour killings are not a ‘cultural’ issue – they are a crime.
In Germany, femicide and threats of honour killings are criminal offences. You have the right to protection! You are not to blame. No one has the right to tell you how to live your life.