Year Abroad Office
Safety for Women in GERMANY
Each city in Germany has a very different atmosphere depending on its business, I lived in Frankfurt which is famous for banking, but let's assume the majority of students will go on to study in Germany, and will therefore be somewhere like Berlin, Heidelberg or Cologne.
Attitudes towards women do not differ greatly to those in Britain, if anything they are more liberal. Aside from the usual caution you may take were you visiting somewhere unknown in Britain, there is little more you can do, or that is indeed required of you: Taxis run throughout the night, public transport is patrolled by guards early in the morning and at night, the streets in cities are nearly always lit and busy - simply make sure you have told others where you are going, have some means of contacting others, and have enough money to get yourself home if the worst comes to the worst. Only long distance, particularly overnight train journeys can pose problems.
There are, of course, areas which are unsavoury in every town, such as train stations, Frankfurt's is situated in the second largest Red Light district outside of Amsterdam, and don't be surprised to be asked for business or to see people shooting up in front of you.
In terms of men: a couple of things to remember for Germany. Eye contact and smiling at strangers is simply not done, not even if you feel it cannot be avoided such as on a narrow path/pavement. You will be asked for coffees, drinks and phone numbers, it is best to simply refuse. In my experience it wasn't really the Germans doing this, rather the Turks, Italians and North Africans. However with men you feel you know well, unlike in Britain, you can feel safe to let them walk you home, there will probably be no pressure for a kiss at the end. In some areas such as Heidelberg and Frankfurt there are many American soldiers, they can make for an uncomfortable and masculine atmosphere, best to just ignore them. If at night you are followed, turn around and ask them for the time, they will know you have seen their face, or take out your phone and talk into it, if they only want to rob you they can do this easily.
Otherwise and not to safety: in Germany expect a liberal attitude to both male and female nudity - in Gyms, swimming pools, even in the park. Changing rooms, showers, saunas etc are shared and you will not be permitted to preserve your modesty with a towel, this is considered unhygenic. In parks, while children play all around you will find women sunbathing entirely naked. Should you wish to go to a female doctor this is not: Frauenarzt. Frauenarzt means gynaecologist and may be male or female. A female doctor is simply Ärztin. Getting the contraceptive pill is very confusing in Germany and you have to pay, it can be worth retaining your British prescription. But being careful is worth it, as abortion, so a friend of mine experienced, is not only very difficult, but doubly distressing away from friends and in a foreign language.
Contributed by Rachel King
