Counseling for children and adolescents
Who can use our services?
- children and adolescents who have witnessed domestic violence and are impacted by it
- children and adolescents who experience domestic violence and stalking in their family
- adolescents who themselves experience domestic violence or stalking in their relationship (Teen Dating Violence)
- legal guardians, institutions and/or other persons who are in contact with children or teenagers that are impacted by violence
We offer counseling to children and teenagers regardless of their gender identity, social background, abilities/disabilities and are sensitized to other possible experiences of discrimination that they might have made in their lives.
Our counseling center for children and teenagers “KIS“ specifically represents the interests of children and teenagers who are impacted by domestic violence. By being partial and advocating for them, we can focus on the needs and rights of children and teenagers who have witnessed domestic violence or experienced domestic violence themselves.
Witnessing domestic violence:
… affects children and teenagers who experience violent incidents between family members in their home. Frequently, this violence takes place between parents or between a parent and a stepparent. However, we also speak about domestic violence when children or teenagers experience any kind of violent acts involving other family members.
“Experiencing“ violence means that the children “see“ and “hear“ violence as well as feel the usually permanent tension in their environment. This is also frequently the case when parents separate.
Teen Dating Violence:
…refers to different forms of violence that happen to adolescents in their first romantic and dating relationships and that have a severe impact on their development and personal freedom.
These different forms of violence include:
Physical, psychological, sexualized and digital violence as well as stalking.
Teen dating violence can result in multiple threats, especially, when the perpetrator tries to influence the other person’s friends (peer group) or uses different social media platforms to spread violence.
Sibling Violence
… refers to physical, psychological and social violence between children/adolescents and their sibling.
Especially, when there is an imbalance of power (e.g., because of a significant age gap, gender, physical or cognitive abilities), this can increase the abuse of power.
We speak of abuse of power:
- when one sibling controls the social contacts and relationships of their sibling
- when one sibling physically and psychologically intimidates their sibling who is affected by violence
- when one sibling is being instrumentalized by a parent in order to control the other sibling and also given permission to use, e.g., physical violence
Our counseling services aim at establishing safety and putting an end to these violent situations.
Further goals may include:
- crisis intervention in acute situations
- information on help and protection options explained in an age-appropriate way
- education about the dynamics of violence explained in an age-appropriate way
- strengthening the child’s/adolescent’s self-confidence
- support in coping with the experienced violence (e.g., when police officers had to step in)
- reference to other support services
KINDER UND JUGENDLICHE HABEN EIN RECHT AUF GEWALTFREIE ERZIEHUNG (§ 1631, ABS.2 BGB)
JEDER MENSCH HAT DAS RECHT AUF EIN LEBEN OHNE GEWALT. (GG Artikel 2 Absatz 2)