Anonymous forensic evidence collection (ASS)

Experience from women's support facilities shows that victims of sexualized violence find it difficult to decide whether or not to report the crime. In particular, the fact that the decision has to be made immediately due to the prompt collection of evidence overwhelms the women concerned in a situation in which they are often in shock.

However, without a criminal complaint, traces of the crime are generally not secured and are therefore not available as evidence in future criminal proceedings. The oral statement of the victim-witness alone is often not sufficient for a prosecution due to a lack of further evidence. Many criminal proceedings are therefore discontinued due to a lack of evidence.

In order to prevent this, it is important to secure the evidence of the act of violence promptly and document it in a way that will stand up in court. The option of securing evidence anonymously gives victims of sexualized violence the chance to decide whether or not to press charges without pressure. The evidence is usually kept for several years for a possible court case. This means that the crime can still be reported to the police at a later date.

The path to anonymous evidence collection

Victims of sexualized violence can contact clinics that offer evidence collection independent of reporting. The data is treated confidentially and may not be used without the consent of those affected. The doctors providing treatment are subject to a duty of confidentiality.

Finding help quickly

The state government has compiled detailed information on the topic of anonymous evidence collection (ASS) following sexualized violence against women and girls in North Rhine-Westphalia on the homepage of the Ministry for Equality.

Regional offers for Anonymous Forensics

City / district

-Bielefeld

-Bochum

-Bonn

-Duisburg

-Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis

-Kreis Borken

-Kreis Coesfeld

-Bottrop

-Kreis Düren

-Gelsenkirchen

-Kreis Gütersloh

-Herford

-Herne

-Hochsauerlandkreis

-Kreis Höxter

-Köln

-Leverkusen

-Kreis Lippe

-Kreis Minden-Lübbecke

-Kreis Neuss

-Oberbergischer Kreis

-Oberhausen

-Kreis Paderborn

-Kreis Recklinghausen

-Remscheid

-Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis

-Rhein-Sieg-Kreis

-Solingen

-Kreis Siegen-Wittgenstein

-Kreis Steinfurt

-Kreis Wesel

Further clinics and medical practices that offer forensic evidence collection without the need for a report can be found on the iGOBSIS project website at https://gobsis.de/projekt/teilnehmende/.