Violence as a professional risk in social work

Six people were killed in a shooting at a youth welfare facility in Stade, Germany, a town west of Hamburg. The suspect, a 45-year-old man, is in custody. The victims included employees of the facility and the Hannover Youth Welfare Office. The shooter was reportedly at the facility for a meeting concerning his three-month-old daughter and her mother, who reside there.

This tragedy has reignited calls from professional associations for better protection for social workers. These professionals are tasked with safeguarding vulnerable individuals but often find themselves targets of violence. Livia Sarai Lergenmüller of ZEIT's family department has spoken with social workers about their daily challenges and the inherent dangers of their profession, exploring necessary structural changes to enhance their safety.

In separate news, the German government has approved the "Reservist Strengthening Law." This legislation aims to increase the number of actively planned reservists in the Bundeswehr from 66,000 to 200,000 by 2035. A key change is the introduction of mandatory military drills, ending the previous "dual voluntary" system. Employers will generally be required to accept their employees' participation in these exercises. The duration of the drills will correspond to an individual's prior active service period. The Bundestag is expected to debate these plans after the summer recess.

Additionally, the official portrait of former Chancellor Angela Merkel was unveiled. Painted by 28-year-old Franco-German artist Jérémie Queyras, it will hang in the Chancellery's Hall of Chancellors. Hanno Rauterberg from ZEIT's culture section discussed Merkel's choice of Queyras and his artistic representation of the former leader.

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Who protects those who are supposed to help others?