Forms of victim assistance
Consultation
The Victim Support Center advises people seeking help on their individual concerns and questions related to the crime. Furthermore, we offer support in processing the crime and refer to specialists if necessary. Upon request and if possible, we offer psychosocial process accompaniment (non-legal accompaniment) in criminal proceedings.
Postponable help and longer-term help
In the case of longer-term assistance, additional help can be provided as necessary until the health condition of the person concerned has stabilized and the other consequences of the crime have been eliminated or compensated for as far as possible.Cost contributions for longer-term third-party assistance
In contrast to assistance that cannot be postponed, victim assistance can provide longer-term assistance, taking subsidiarity into account. This type of assistance serves to overcome and cope with the consequence of a crime in the longer term. The amount of the cost contributions depend on the financial situation of the person concerned. Longer-term assistance is provided in the form of subsidiary cost credits if no other service providers such as offenders, insurance companies, etc. can be claimed otherwise.
Compensation for damages
Under certain conditions, injured parties are entitled to compensation from the government. A distinction is made between material damages and non-material damages. Claims must be made within 5 years after the crime was committed. The substantiated application must be submitted in writing to the Victim Assistance Office, enclosing the relevant documents, which will subsequently forward it to the government for a decision. For more detailed information, please contact the Victim Assistance Office. The application form can be found in the online desk.
Procedure Help
Proceedings under the Victim Assistance Act (Art. 25) are free of charge and fees for the victim and his or her relatives. In court and further administrative proceedings, which are a consequence of the criminal offence, the victim and his dependents shall be exempt from fees and costs pursuant to the procedural assistance provisions of the respective codes of procedure; subject to para. 3. The victim and his dependents shall, in accordance with §§ 63 et seq. ZPO in administrative court proceedings under para. 1 and in criminal and administrative follow-up proceedings under para. 2 also entitled to the assistance of a procedural assistant or a Verfahrenshelferin.