đź“‹ Social compensation for victims of violence (SGB XIV)
In brief
Anyone who has become the victim of an intentional, unlawful physical attack – expressly including domestic and intimate partner violence – can apply for social compensation benefits: from rapid psychological acute help via trauma outpatient clinics to medical treatment and, depending on the health consequences, a compensation pension. Since 1 January 2024 the Fourteenth Book of the Social Code (SGB XIV) has applied, which replaced the former Victims Compensation Act (OEG). Important for domestic violence: former grounds for exclusion such as alleged "contributory fault" through staying with or returning to the violent person have been abolished under the new law.
Step by step
- Make the applicationApply to the competent social compensation office (Amt für Soziale Entschädigung) or pension office (Versorgungsamt) of your Land (the name varies depending on the Land).
- Use acute help in parallelIf you have an acute need for psychological support, a trauma outpatient clinic can often provide first help quickly, even before final approval.
- Attach evidenceAttach medical certificates, police records or other documentation of the attack, where available – informal statements are enough at first and can be supplemented during the procedure.
- Wait for the reviewThe competent office reviews the application and issues a notice of decision (Bescheid).
- If rejected: objectionAn objection (Widerspruch) is possible against a decision that rejects the claim or is insufficient.
Deadlines
- The improved rules in principle apply to harmful events from 1 January 2024; for earlier incidents the old Victims Compensation Act (OEG) with its stricter conditions generally still applies (protection of vested rights).
- The exact name and accessibility of the competent authority differ depending on the Land (e.g. Versorgungsamt, Amt für Soziale Entschädigung, Landesamt für Soziales) – get local information, for example via an advice centre.
- Claims under SGB XIV do not in principle exclude other benefits (e.g. basic income support, health insurance), but can be offset in individual cases – this should be clarified in the application.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals
What has changed with SGB XIV
SGB XIV came fully into force on 1 January 2024 and recast social compensation law in a book of its own. Compared with the old Victims Compensation Act, the conditions for entitlement and the catalogue of benefits were extended; psychological violence is expressly taken into account, and the needs of children and of people with foreign nationality were given greater weight. Particularly important for those affected by domestic violence: former grounds for exclusion because of "contributory fault", because of staying with or returning to the violent person, or because of the absence of a criminal complaint were abolished or considerably eased, and the application procedure was simplified with easier standards of proof.
Trauma outpatient clinics as rapid acute help
A central element of social compensation law is trauma outpatient clinics, which are meant to give psychologically traumatised victims of violence prompt access to first professional support, regardless of the outcome of any criminal or compensation proceedings.
Basic principle (§ 1 SGB XIV)
§ 1 SGB XIV sets out the principle that persons who have suffered damage to their health through a harmful event are entitled to social compensation benefits – this expressly includes an intentional, unlawful physical attack, which covers domestic and intimate partner violence.
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