Medical and confidential Help and support Medical and confidential help help after sexual assault after sexual assault Ask a person you trust for help! The cooperative body “For Lippe against Do- mestic Violence” with a task force for the district Sexual assault can have a serious impact not of Lippe has made it possible to collect forensic only on your physical but also on your emotio- evidence confidentially and independent of any nal health. It is difficult to cope on your own. police report after sexual violence; the project is supported by the State of NRW. That’s why it is important to go to counselling facilities to ask for help which can help you to Victims of rape or any other sexual offence shall recover from the experience. have the opportunity to decide, without any time constraints or pressure whether to bring charges Let us help you! Talks at the counselling facilities are always or not. This way of collecting evidence allows vic- confidential and free of charge. tims to bring charges with the collected evidence within 5 years. • Women’s advice centre Alraune e.V. Care Telephone 05231 20177 We thank all collaborating institutions for their commitment for the victims of sexual offences. Support • Family, marriage, child and youth counselling services of the District of Lippe Preservation of evidence Telephone 05231 621621 Call us! We will help you! • Protestant Counselling Service of the Church of Lippe Telephone 05231 99280 Klinikum Lippe Detmold • SOS Advice and meeting centre Blomberg Röntgenstraße 18 Telephonen 05235 5097930 32756 Detmold Telephone 05231 72-5620 • Counselling Services Telephone 05231 26841 Published by • HelpLine “Violence against Women” Multilingual I 24 hours Telephone 08000 116 016 www.haeusliche-gewalt-lippe.de • Women’s shelter of the AWO Lippe Protection and shelter for women and their children Sponsored by Telephone 05232 850 8500 Information for those who have experien- Decision to bring (later) charges Procedure of confidential evidence ced sexual assault or who fear that is has collection, independent of any report. happened ... 1 For most victims of sexual assault the decision After the assault please contact the Lippe to press charges is not an easy one, particularly Detmold hospital immediately (Tel.: 05231 13% of women living in Germany when it comes to making such a decision imme- 72-5620) or ask at the emergency department have experienced criminally relevant diately after the event. Many need time to make a Detmold for a confidential forensic medical forms of sexual violence. decision that is right for them. independent of any report. ....Have you been raped? No matter whether you want to bring charges immediately after the assault or later, we would For the medical examination please bring ....Did it happen at home or in strongly advise you to present yourself at the hos- along your medical card, if possible. Rest a familiar environment? pital in Detmold for a medical examination and to assured, no one will be informed, neither 2 have all evidence of the crime secured quickly by the medical insurer, nor your dependents ....Was the perpetrator a stranger? a doctor. or family. The examination is confidential. ....Did you suffer a blackout and so don’t know what happened? The examination report and the traces If at all possible .... collected (e.g. clothing, DNA) will remain and be stored in the Lippe Detmold hospital. ....do not take a shower or wash. 3 The entire procedure will be free of charge Victims often feel helpless, powerless and are in ....do not wash your clothes. for you. despair. It is difficult for them to make any deci- sion directly after the assault. These are normal ....do not touch or change any other reactions after an abnormal event. evidence (sheets, towels etc.) You will sign a declaration that you wish evidence to be collected confidentially and Often there are no witnesses to the assault. That’s independent of any charges, with evidence 4 why it is important that all evidence from the being stored for 5 years. You will get a copy crime are collected immediately. A perpetrator can Even if the offender is unknown, make sure the of your declaration upon request. only be legally charged if there is evidence (DNA evidence is collected. This will provide objective traces or similar). evidence of the offense and help to identify an un- known person even years later. Should you decide to press charges at a If you cannot or do not wish to decide immedi- later date, please inform the police about ately on any charges, do not hesitate and use the The evidence collected in the Lippe Detmold 5 the evidence that was collected. The police confidential forensic investigation, independent hospital will be kept for five years. You have time will then, together with you, start the of pressing charges and contact the hospital to weigh all options and use counselling before necessary steps Klinikum Lippe Detmold (Telephone 05231 deciding if and when to involve the police, and 72-5620). together take further steps. If you do not press charges, all traces will More help and support are provided by the advice automatically be destroyed after 5 years. centres in the district of Lippe. You will find con- tact details overleaf. 6.