Victims' rights take center stage in criminal proceedings. The justice system offers protection, information and support - for example through psychosocial trial support or improved opportunities for participation.
Trained police officers help victims after a crime - directly and personally. Police victim protection provides support both during and outside of criminal proceedings.
The police in North Rhine-Westphalia are organized into 47 district police authorities. Contact persons are available locally to help take reports and offer protection.
Reporting a crime to the police is the first step in prosecuting a criminal offense. In North Rhine-Westphalia, you can contact your local police authority at any time - in person, by telephone or online.
Psychosocial trial support is the qualified care, provision of information and support for victims in criminal proceedings. It helps victims to cope better with the proceedings.
Anyone who is the victim of a violent crime is entitled to benefits under the 14th Social Code (SGB XIV) under certain conditions, which was introduced on January 1, 2024. This replaced and modernized the former Victim Compensation Act.
The term perpetrator work refers to work with male perpetrators of domestic violence. The core objective of perpetrator work is to put a sustainable end to violent behavior in order to improve victim protection and violence prevention.
The testimony of a witness is of great importance in court. Witness statements are indispensable for clarifying many facts and therefore make a significant contribution to establishing the truth.
