How safe do people feel at night in Aachen? This question is the subject of the new survey "Is the night ours?", which you can take part in online on the City of Aachen's participation portal from January 22 to February 22. The aim is to better understand the subjective feeling of safety in public spaces at night and to derive concrete measures for a safer nightlife in Aachen. The survey is a cooperation between the Equal Opportunities Office of the City of Aachen, the vhs Aachen and the DGB NRW Region South-West in collaboration with the Night Mayor of the City of Aachen.

Who is the survey aimed at?

The survey is basically aimed at all people in Aachen. There is a particular focus on the experiences and perspectives of women and FLINTA, as studies show that they feel significantly less safe at night than men. For example, the "7th Coordinated Citizens' Survey 2024, Life Satisfaction in German Cities" found that 55% of women aged between 26 and 40 do not feel safe at all or do not feel safe at all. For men in the same age group, this only applies to 31%.

The survey aims to collect feedback on personal perceptions of safety in various evening and nightlife venues as well as on the routes to venues in Aachen. Experiences with catcalling (sexist catcalls) or harassment as well as measures to make those affected feel safer are also part of the survey. In addition, information on local advice and support services as well as anonymous online advice services is provided.

Equal Opportunities Officer Sabine Bausch says: "Differences in the perception of safety at night are the result of structural experiences in public spaces. Women experience catcalling or intrusive behavior more frequently and therefore adapt their use of urban space. For the municipality, this means taking a close look and deriving appropriate measures. Urban and night-time design must be conceived and implemented in a gender-equitable way. The survey 'Does the night belong to us?' should provide an important basis for this."

"The night belongs to us!"

On the evening of March 7, the survey question "Is the night ours?" will be transformed into the statement "The night is ours!" as we celebrate International Women's Day. The organizing trio takes up the topic of safety at this celebration. Under the motto: Sisterhood - the night belongs to us! all women and FLINTA are cordially invited to come together at Hotel Europa and raise awareness of the issues of solidarity, safety and visibility in public spaces. The celebration is also the closing event of the Women's Education Week 2026, which is organized by the Women's Network StädteRegion Aachen e.V.

The results of the survey serve as a basis for the development of concrete measures to improve nightlife in Aachen. In the future, the Night Mayor Till Görgen will take up and implement the ideas. The first results are expected in spring 2026. The Night Mayor is the central point of contact for all questions relating to Aachen's nightlife and connects event organizers, cultural professionals, administration, politicians and other stakeholders. He acts as a guide, mediator and lobbyist, provides quick and uncomplicated information about funding opportunities, contact persons and current developments and actively supports the implementation of projects - in the sense of an "enabling culture" that brings creative ideas to life.