What should you do if you have been affected by a criminal offence?

Where to get help and advice

Contact people and counselling centres

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You may have a lot of questions after you have been affected by a criminal offence. However, you are not alone, because a number of victim support organisations can provide assistance.

Anxiety, sleeplessness, sadness: Suffering a crime often leads to mental health issues. Many organisations offer professional support to help you come to terms with what has happened.

When a criminal offence has occurred, it is important that those affected receive the financial support they need. What financial support is available and when is it available?

You may have a lot of questions after you have been affected by a criminal offence. However, you are not alone, because a number of victim support organisations can provide assistance.

Anxiety, sleeplessness, sadness: Suffering a crime often leads to mental health issues. Many organisations offer professional support to help you come to terms with what has happened.

When a criminal offence has occurred, it is important that those affected receive the financial support they need. What financial support is available and when is it available?

If you feel threatened by a crime, turn to the police for help and advice. The Internet can also be a valuable source of information.

Psychological support - Psychosocial support in criminal proceedings

Minors affected by crime have special rights, and there are contact people they can turn to if they need help in asserting those rights. Other family members can also receive support.

“What burden is weighing on the person concerned right now?”

Outpatient trauma centres offer psychological help at short noticeto persons affected by violent crimes. Contact points of this kind exist throughout Germany. Dr. Olaf Schulte-Herbrüggen is the head of the out-patient trauma centre at the Bodelschwingh-Klinik in Berlin.

Please click for english subtitles.

“It makes a difference whether people are provided with support or not”

Persons affected by serious criminal offences are entitled to psychosocial support in court proceedings. Specifically trained staff provide support to those affected before, during and after the trial. Susanne Hampe is one of them.

Please click for english subtitles.

Safe spaces are very valuable

Victim support organisations help victims of criminal offences cope with their situation, which is often new to them and can be very burdensome. Olivia Sarma heads one of these organisations and describes in this interview the type of support they offer.

Finding counselling services

Data provided by: ODABS - Online-Datenbank für Betroffene von Straftaten (Online Database for Victims of Crime).
Supported by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

For further questions please contact: odabskrimz.de.

If you became a victim of crime in a Member State of the European Union other than Germany and would like to receive information on the victim support services in that country, please use this link this link.

Data provided by: ODABS - Online-Datenbank für Betroffene von Straftaten.
Supported by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
In order for counselling centres to be displayed, your IP address will be forwarded to ODABS.
The data processed by ODABS can be consulted in its privacy policy . This means that in terms of data protection, ODABS is the controller pursuant to Article 4 para. 7 of the General Data Protection Regulation.

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What should you do if you have been affected by a criminal offence?

Contact people and counselling centres

Psychological support

Financial support

Contact people and counselling centres

Psychological support

Financial support

Prevention services

Specific groups of affected persons

“What burden is weighing on the person concerned right now?”

“It makes a difference whether people are provided with support or not”

Safe spaces are very valuable

Finding counselling services

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What should you do if you have been affected by a criminal offence?

Contact people and counselling centres

Psychological support

Financial support

Contact people and counselling centres

Psychological support

Financial support

Prevention services

Specific groups of affected persons

“What burden is weighing on the person concerned right now?”

“It makes a difference whether people are provided with support or not”

Safe spaces are very valuable

Finding counselling services

Help Assistant

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