Germany sees increase in reported domestic violence in 2020

BERLIN (AP) — Authorities say Germany saw a 4.4% increase in known cases of actual or attempted violence against domestic partners last year, the vast majority of them against women. But officials said on Tuesday that the figures didn’t offer a clear picture of the impact of lockdowns prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. The head of the country’s Federal Criminal Police Office said there were 148,031 reported cases of actual or attempted violence within partnerships in 2020, continuing an upward trend from previous years. He said that more than 80% of the victims were women, and authorities believe a “very significant” number of cases go unreported.