Orange Day is the global UN day of remembrance and action against violence against women. In the morning, Equal Opportunities Officer Simone Semmler and over 40 fellow campaigners raised the orange flag to send a clear signal that any kind of physical, psychological or other violence against girls and women is absolutely unacceptable.

In the evening, around 50 guests attended the opening of the traveling exhibition "HerzSchlag - wenn aus Liebe Gewalt wird" (Heartbeat - when love turns into violence) in the atrium of the town hall in Salzgitter-Lebenstedt. HerzSchlag" aims to educate and raise awareness among victims of (ex-)intimate partner violence and private supporters of those affected by violence. It also aims to raise awareness of counseling services and support facilities so that the inhibition threshold for seeking help can be lowered. The exhibition is part of a whole campaign, which interested parties can find out more about at www.herzschlag-kampagne.de (opens in a new tab). The exhibition can be seen in the atrium of the town hall until Monday, December 8, 2025. Its patron is Daniela Behrens, Lower Saxony's Minister of the Interior and Sport.

At the opening, Equal Opportunities Officer Simone Semmler praised the good cooperation with the police inspectorate, the AWO women's shelter and the Beratungsstelle gegen sexuell Gewalt e.V., which have jointly realized this exhibition in Salzgitter. "The fight against violence can only succeed if all actors work hand in hand."

In his opening speech, Second Mayor Christian Striese emphasized: "It is important that we all deal with the issue of violence against women. That we look and ask questions. That we open our eyes, get involved and don't look away. That's why today, November 25, is important. The flag-raising this morning as a visible sign in front of the town hall and this traveling exhibition, which I hope will sensitize many citizens to this important issue."

The head of the Salzgitter / Peine / Wolfenbüttel police station, Imke Krysta, was also present. She explained: "On Orange Day, we remind people that violence against women is never a private matter. The HerzSchlag exhibition shows how important a strong network is - and that men in particular can play an encouraging and supportive role. When men take a stand on this issue, they become a crucial part of the solution."

Violence against girls and women is a global problem. Current police statistics only show reported cases. The number of unreported cases is high. All those involved in the project hope that the exhibition and the associated educational work will help victims to defend themselves and report the violence as a criminal offense.