Since the start of the year, 187 perpetrators of domestic violence have been evicted from their homes by the public prosecutor. This compares to 278 cases last year, when total reported incidents of domestic violence were up 11% compared to 2019.

“No-one should suffer domestic violence, verbal, sexual or physical attacks,” said Taina Bofferding (LSAP), minister for the equality between women and men, during a press conference on Thursday.

Together with the Red Cross, the ministry launched an awareness-raising campaign targeting perpetrators of domestic violence. The Red Cross since 2004 has been offering “Riicht Eraus”, a counselling service that aims to help perpetrators take responsibility for their actions and understand that violence cannot be tolerated.

“For perpetrators of domestic violence, consulting the Riicht Eraus team is a way to escape the infernal spiral of violence,” said Michel Simonis, director general of the Luxembourg Red Cross. “We are launching this prevention campaign against domestic violence to encourage perpetrators of domestic violence to become aware of their behaviour, without judgment on our part, and to take responsibility for a change in behaviour.”

The campaign will run for the month of October and November. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is on 25 November. However, around one third of domestic violence victims in Luxembourg are men.

“We have decided to launch this prevention campaign now, because for a year and a half we have been living in an exceptional situation which can generate tensions within the home,” said Laurence Bouquet who oversees Riicht Eraus. “Although we have always been present during the health crisis, we believe that it is necessary to remind the general public that we are there to prevent these tensions from becoming explosive.”

There was an 11% increase in domestic violence cases reported in 2020 compared to the year before. Despite the increase, the ministry in June said that there hadn’t been a “surge” in cases because of the pandemic.  

The is available in English with more resources for victims, perpetrators and witnesses of domestic violence available on , also in English.