Executive Summary

The federal government and cantons took stock of their roadmap against domestic and sexual violence on 27 April 2026 in Bern. The strategy, which has been in place since 2021, has proven effective and brought important progress. Key innovations include the victim assistance hotline 142 (from 1 May 2026), uniform quality standards for threat management, and electronic monitoring for victim protection. The Federal Council plans to present a legislative proposal by early 2027 to improve civil and civil procedure law, as well as a revision of weapons law.

Persons

  • Federal Department of Justice and Police (EJPD) (Federal level)
  • Federal Department of the Interior (EDI) (Federal level)

Topics

  • Domestic violence
  • Sexual violence
  • Victim protection
  • Prevention and national strategy
  • Civil law measures

Clarus Lead

Switzerland is intensifying its fight against violence at a critical moment: despite five years of roadmap implementation, femicides and domestic violence are increasing, forcing faster legislative action. The planned legislative proposal from the EJPD marks a paradigm shift – for the first time, family law proceedings should systematically consider violence risks and align victim protection in civil law with criminal law. This signals that prevention and coordination alone are insufficient; binding legal standards have become necessary.

Detailed Summary

The roadmap of 30 April 2021 emerged from strategic dialogue between the federal government, cantons, and civil society and defined ten areas of action. In 2023, the focus was expanded to include sexual violence. The current report documents concrete successes: The victim assistance hotline 142 will provide a central point of contact from May 2026 for rapid access to support services. Cantons have established uniform quality standards for threat management, an instrument for early risk assessment. Electronic monitoring in cantonal pilot projects has proven effective for victim protection and is to be expanded nationally in a coordinated manner.

The planned victim assistance law package provides for free forensic medical documentation – a measure intended to increase reporting rates and make prosecution more likely. In addition, cantons are to expand emergency shelters. The EJPD legislative proposal (early 2027) targets two levels: In family law, authorities must systematically examine violence risks in custody and parental rights proceedings. In civil procedure law, victim protection standards (e.g., avoiding confrontations) should correspond to those in criminal procedure. A parallel planned revision of weapons law is to restrict access for perpetrators of violence. The prevention campaign "Equality Prevents Violence" (since November 2025) will focus on hotline 142 from June 2026. A new national strategy to combat domestic, sexualized, and gender-based violence is to be available in spring 2027.

Key Statements

  • Five-year roadmap shows progress but is insufficient; legislative measures are becoming necessary
  • New victim assistance hotline 142 and uniform threat management standards launch in 2026
  • Family law proceedings should for the first time systematically consider violence risks (planned 2027)
  • Electronic monitoring and free forensic medical documentation improve victim protection
  • National strategy on gender-based violence in preparation (spring 2027)

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence Quality: What measurable indicators show that roadmap measures actually reduce domestic violence, rather than just increasing reporting rates?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: To what extent could cantonal differences in implementation (e.g., electronic monitoring) lead to unequal treatment of victims if national coordination is only being planned?

  3. Causality: Is the increase in femicides despite roadmap measures attributed to implementation gaps or structural factors (e.g., resource shortages in authorities)?

  4. Feasibility: How will it be ensured that family court judges consistently apply the new violence risk assessment obligations (planned 2027) without significantly delaying proceedings?

  5. Side Effects: Could increased electronic monitoring and forensic medical documentation place additional burden on victims or endanger their privacy?

  6. Resources: Are the cantons financially and personnel-equipped to implement the new standards (threat management, emergency shelters) across the board?

Sources

Primary Source: Federal Council Press Release: "Roadmap Against Domestic and Sexual Violence – Review and Outlook" – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/XDvUS9nzTwjXhy6QcryD_

Verification Status: ✓ 27.04.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: 27.04.2026