Catrin Seeger from Rathenow: Order of Merit for 30 years of helping women!

Catrin Seeger from Rathenow: Order of Merit for 30 years of helping women!

Recognition for tireless commitment recently came in the form of the Order of Merit of the State of Brandenburg, which Catrin Seeger from Rathenow received. Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) honored her together with five other personalities during a ceremony in the Potsdam State Chancellery. Woidke described the honorees' commitment as “extraordinary” and thus acknowledged the significant contributions they have made to the people in the country. Seeger, who has been working in the area of ​​women's aid for over 30 years, founded and built up the women's shelter in Rathenow in the early 1990s. During this time, the house has supported almost 1,000 women and over 1,100 children who were affected by violence. Their commitment is not without consequences: a new women's shelter will be opened in Rathenow this year as a direct continuation of their work.

Seeger is not only the manager of the women's shelter, but also active as a board member in the network of women's shelters in Brandenburg. Here she advocates for social change and improving conditions for women in emergencies. Her motivation for such work is based on personal experiences with violence in the family, and she also highlights these aspects in her podcast “Fresh to Work,” which appears every two weeks. Here, Seeger talks about the challenges that women face and, among other things, addresses psychological abuse in relationships and the need for preventative measures in childhood. Such issues are important because many women do not know when they can turn to a facility such as a women's shelter and often only seek help when it is too late.

Diversity and challenges in the women's shelter

The women's shelter in Rathenow is an important retreat for women from all social classes and cultural backgrounds. The youngest resident was only 18 years old, the oldest was 90 years old. This wide age range shows that violence against women can take different forms and affects all age groups. Seeger often reports calls from desperate women who are looking for help but cannot always find a place in the women's shelter. “The places are often full, and placement with other institutions also reaches its limits,” she explains.

In Germany there are nationwide statistics on women's shelter work, which are collected by the women's shelter coordination. This contains comprehensive data on the residents, such as their number, age, origin and social environment. Since its introduction in 1999, statistics have developed into an important tool for practice and politics and regularly provide new insights into the situation of women in around 300 women's shelters.

Honor for outstanding effort

The other honorees of the evening were also committed people who excel in various areas. Among them are Margitta-Sabine Haase, the chairwoman of the Jakobikirche support association in Luckenwalde, and Detlef Karg, the former curator of the Wredowsche Drawing School Foundation. Konrad Müller, a founding member of the Elbe-Elster traffic police, Reiner Rabe, who supports regional sports clubs, and Bernd Warminski, who volunteers at the Mosaic School in Wittstock, also received the coveted Order of Merit.

Catrin Seeger remains a shining example of moral courage and social responsibility. Their ongoing commitment to women affected by violence shows how important and necessary such initiatives are to bring about change in society. It remains to be hoped that their commitment not only inspires other women, but also helps to bring the topic of violence against women out of the taboo zone.

For the whole story and further insights into Catrin Seeger's commitment, read more at maz-online.de, about her podcasts zeit.de, and the relevant statistics Frauenhauskoordination.de.