Criticism of Shutdown Fund for Abuse Victims: Protective Organizations Speak Out Against Shutdown Proposal
In a recent development, five specialist organizations for victims of sexual violence in Germany have voiced their concerns over the retroactive application stop at the Fund for Sexual Abuse (FSM). The FSM, a part of the Supplementary Support System (EHS), provides aid for victims of sexual violence.
The organizations, including the WHITE RING, the German Society for Prevention and Intervention in Child Abuse, the Federal Association of Women's Counseling Centers and Women's Emergency Numbers, the Federal Coordination of Specialized Counseling against Sexualized Violence in Childhood and Youth, and the Federal Working Group of Feminist Organizations against Sexual Violence against Girls and Women, have criticized the move, calling it a "shameful and heavy blow" to victims.
The FSM can provide aid when necessary services are not covered by health and long-term care insurance or social compensation rights. However, the recent announcement by the office of the Fund stated that new initial applications received after March 19, 2025, could no longer be considered due to insufficient funds in the federal budget.
The organizations believe that low-threshold aids are indispensable components of the support system for victims of sexual violence. The WHITE RING, Germany's largest aid organization for victims of crime, founded in 1976 in Mainz, finances its activities exclusively from membership fees, donations, and bequests, as well as fines imposed by courts and public prosecutors, and receives no public funds.
The organizations have called for the federal government to provide victims of abuse and victim support organizations with a timely perspective and specify the future design of the supplementary support system. They demand that the aid be maintained and that the necessary funds be provided in the federal budget.
The criticism likely revolves around protecting survivors’ rights to access the fund regardless of when the abuse occurred, with demands focusing on reinstating retroactivity and expanding support. However, current search data does not give exact reasons or demands related to Germany's Fund for Sexual Abuse. For accurate and detailed information, official statements from these five specialist organizations or German government communications would need to be consulted.
Bianca Biwer, Federal Managing Director of the WEISSER RING, has stated that the application stop is cynical, saving money on the most vulnerable, most affected. She emphasized that many victims suffer from the consequences of abuse for decades, and the application stop is a setback in their journey towards healing and justice.
The FSM, while designed to alleviate the consequences of abuse, often proves difficult to access in practice. The organizations hope that the federal government will take their concerns seriously and work towards a solution that ensures the continued support for survivors of sexual violence.
The organizations have expressed their dismay over the announced halt in retroactive applications for the Fund for Sexual Abuse (FSM), considering it a detrimental move for victims. They argue that this decision is a financial exploitation of the most vulnerable and affected individuals. Bianca Biwer, Federal Managing Director of the WHITE RING, underscores the long-term effects of abuse on victims, stating that the application stop is a major setback in their quest for healing and justice. In light of this, the specialist organizations for victims of sexual violence in Germany have called for the maintenance of the aid, timely perspectives, and adequate funding for the supplementary support system. These demands center around reinstating retroactivity and expanding support to protect survivors' rights.
