On this page you will find the following information:
Who we are
We are an interculturally competent team of women from the areas of social work, psychology, political science and law. Currently we speak Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic, Farsi, English and German.
In the crisis organisation PAPATYA we have advised and assisted girls and young women with refugee and migration backgrounds, who need to flee from their families to a secret address. We have been able to assist over 2000 girls and young women. The young people are accompanied round the clock after their acceptance/entry. The issues are often family violence, forced marriage which is threatened or already occurred, overly strict family controls, sexual violence and other similar matters. We support girls and young women in their life planning and in dealing with their families. During their time at PAPATYA we seek to develop perspectives for the future in close cooperation with the Youth Office (Jugendamt), Jobcenter and other institutions. This can be the return to the parents, to other relatives or accommodation in an assisted shared apartment for young people/women’s accommodation in or outside Berlin.
Through our online advice service SIBEL since 2004 we have offered advice and help for girls and young women, LGBTI*Q and couples, who have problems with their families. The advice is anonymous, confidential and free and can be given in writing, by telephone or face to face. Written advice is possible in German, English and Turkish. Moreover, we advise professional and private helpers, who want to assist those affected. In particular we advise on the issues of forced marriage, family control, threats and violence and abduction/kidnapping.
Since 2013 we have advised and coordinated in cases of abduction abroad. We want to prevent girls and young women from being married against their will while abroad or being left abroad. Our preventive assistance is offered to all those who are afraid of being abducted. If girls and young women are already being held abroad against their will, we try to support them in their apparently hopeless position and to enable a return to Germany. Further, it is our aim to educate the public about abduction and to prevent girls and young women from disappearing from Germany and nobody notices.
Cooperationen
PAPATYA works throughout Germany with institutions of youth assistance, women’s refuges, socially and educationally assisted residence projects for minors and young women and crisis institutions as well as with the specialised crisis telephone service for girls, who are threatened or affected by forced marriage and violence in the name of honour. Further, we are represented in a range of committees, where we support the interests of our target group.
- The Federal German Expert Conference Against Forced Marriage (BuKo) is a community of protection institutions and advisory services, which are specialised in forced marriage. At the regular, annual networking meetings of BuKo we exchange experience and develop common demands for political action. Press statement of the Federal German Expert Conference Against Forced Marriage.
- The Berlin Working Group against Forced Marriage was established in 2001 at the initiative of PAPATYA and is coordinated by the Women’s and Equality Commissioner of the District Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. It is comprised of representatives of protection institutions, advisory services and other projects from schools, youth offices, Commissioner for Foreigners and other institutions. The working meetings that take place several times a year deal with sharing expert experience and planning and coordination of measures and public relations work against forced marriage. The working group is the publisher of important publications on the topic.The brochure “Forced Marriage” informs about the problem as well as the legal context in Germany and in the main countries of origin of those affected. Moreover, it contains an address list of all relevant advisory services and protection institutions.The brochure Recommendations for action for the Berlin youth offices on the topic Intervention in case of violence against girls and young women in traditional, patriarchal families encourages sensitive dealing with those affected by forced marriage and sets out an important working foundation for expert staff of the regional services of the Berlin youth offices.
PAPATYA in the Press
- Die Welt – 13.11.2020: Täglich schrieb der Verlobte – “Du gehörst jetzt mir” von Carla Baum
- Der Tagesspiegel – 03.12.2019: „Hinterm Schleier” von Ronja Ringelstein
- Die Zeit – 13.02.2019: Zwangsheirat: “Manchmal ist die Mutter die treibende Kraft” von Elisabeth Raether
- Fokus – 16.10.2018: Verein “Papatya” hilft ihnen. “Im schlimmsten Fall droht der Ehrenmord: Wie Mädchen in Berlin vor Zwangsehen fliehen” von Laura Gaida
- ZITTY – 08.07.2018: “Verreist, verschleppt, verheiratet” von Jasna Zajcek
- www.hilfetelefon.de – 30.08.2017: „Sicherheit und Anonymität stehen bei uns an erster Stelle”
- Süddeutsche Zeitung – 08.08.2016: „Ich bin so frei” von Thorsten Schmitz
- NZZFOLIO – November 2015: „Endlich ich” von Peter Haffner
- Der Tagesspiegel – 07.02.2015: „Vor zehn Jahren starb Hatun Sürücü Wenn Familienehre tödlich ist” von
- Berliner Zeitung – 27.10.2013: „Problemgebiete sind Neukölln, Wedding und Spandau”
- Funkhaus Europa – 17.03.2011: „Radiobeitrag zur Zwangsheirat”
- CHIEMSEE informiert – Februar 2011: „Gewalt im Namen der Ehre” von Katharina Spöttl und Karl Riepertinger
- DW-World.de/Deutsche Welle – 20.01.2011: „Das Berliner Weglaufhaus” von Svenja Pelzel
- Spiegel Online – 03.01.2011: „Jetzt bist du eine Hure” von Güner Balci
- Diakonie Magazin – 2010: „Keine Gewalt – Wenn Mädchen von zu Hause fliehen”
- Berliner Morgenpost – 28.10.2010: „Wie eine junge Kurdin vor der Zwangsehe flüchtete” von
- Berliner Morgenpost – 28.10.2010: „Irgendwann waren sie nicht mehr brav” von
- BRAVO GIRL – 09.06.2009: „Wir verstecken uns vor unseren Familien!”
- Deutschlandradio Kultur Reportage – 21.09.2008: „Papatya heißt Kamille” von Svenja Pelzel
- Süddeutsche Zeitung Reportage – 02.09.2008: „Auf der Flucht vor der eigenen Familie” von Laura Weißmüller
- Die Welt – 30.09.2007: „Ich denke, ich werde in die Hölle kommen” von
- Tagesspiegel – 31.07.2007: „Mein Vater sagt: ich bringe dich um” von
- Newsweek – 27.03.2005: „The Barbarians Within” von
Awards for our Work
- In 2019 PAPATYA received the Lothar-Kreyssig-Peace-Prize from the Lothar-Kreyssig-Peace-Prize Foundation of the Protestant Church Group Magdeburg.
- In 2009 CorinnaTer-Nedden received the German Federal Service Cross (Bundesverdeinstkreuz) for her activities in the context of her work at PAPATYA
- In 2002 PAPATYA received the Berlin Prevention Prize from the Berlin State Commission against violence
