As reported by Luxembourg's Ministry of Gender Equality and Diversity, infoMann (ActTogether ASBL) launched its new SAVVD support service for male victims of domestic violence on Sunday 1 December 2024.
Luxembourg's Minister of Gender Equality and Diversity, Yuriko Backes, stated: "This inauguration marks a crucial step in the efforts of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Diversity to complete the range of services for victims of domestic violence, this time with a focus on supporting male victims".
The creation of the SAVVD infoMann represents an "important recognition" that men can also be victims of domestic violence and can require psychological, administrative and legal support to overcome their trauma.
On 22 November 2024, Minister Backes also attended an event organised as part of International Men's Day, during which infoMann presented the new SAVVD (which stands for "Service d'assistance aux victimes de violence domestique") and launched the "Real Men?" travelling art exhibition on male stereotypes. The heads of infoMann emphasised that the new service will work closely with the SAVVD managed by Femmes en Détresse (FED), which for its part focuses more on supporting female victims of domestic violence.
The amended law of 8 September 2003 describes the chain of intervention and procedures in cases of domestic violence and provides for the intervention of a domestic violence victim support service. The two SAVVDs are therefore considered key players, intervening alongside the police, the public prosecutor's office and the Riicht Eraus service of the Luxembourg Red Cross, to ensure the support of adult victims in cases of expulsion linked to domestic violence.
The first SAVVD managed by FED was created in 2003 with the aim of assisting, guiding and advising women and men who are victims of domestic violence in their administrative and legal procedures, offering them psychosocial consultations and developing a personal protection plan for victims and their children. The SAVVD infoMann will have the same missions as the SAVVD FED, with a focus on male victims.
Founded in 2012 by the non-profit organisation "ActTogether", the infoMann service, approved and contracted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Diversity, is aimed at boys and men in distress. In addition to the psychosocial offer, the service offers educational activities, as well as accommodation for men (with or without children) in difficult life situations. Further information is available at www.infomann.lu.
