Sources and method – Victims of crime

These 15 topic pages are based primarily on statute texts (gesetze-im-internet.de), the Federal Law Gazette (Bundesgesetzblatt) and publications by official bodies and recognised victim support organisations. The “Sources” field of each topic page lists the specific references.

Distinction from domestic violence and from the perspective of the accused

This guide covers the rights and support options of people who have become victims of a crime in general – for example through assault, robbery, theft, fraud, stalking or offences on the internet, regardless of their relationship to the offender. Offences within a current or former partnership or family raise additional questions (Protection against Violence Act, police removal orders, staying in the shared home, services specific to women), which the separate guide “Domestic violence” covers in depth; it also contains further specifics of social compensation under SGB XIV for this group of cases. People who are themselves accused of a crime are not the target group of this guide.

Sources

1. Gesetze im Internet (gesetze-im-internet.de), Federal Ministry of Justice and Federal Office of Justice, retrieved September 2026: consolidated versions of StPO (incl. §§ 58a, 68, 68b, 155a, 155b, 171b GVG, 238 StGB, 247a, 395–397b, 403–406i), StGB (incl. §§ 46a, 77b, 184k, 185, 186, 187, 201a, 238, 263), BGB (§§ 195, 199, 208, 253, 823), SGB X (§§ 115, 116), SGB XIV, SGG (§ 84), EFZG (§ 3), JVEG (§§ 2, 19–22) and TDDDG (§ 21, reference at gesetze-im-internet.de still under the path “/ttdsg/__21.html”). Basis for all sections cited in the text.
2. Gesetz zur Regelung des Sozialen Entschädigungsrechts (SGB XIV) (Act on the Regulation of Social Compensation Law), in force since 1 January 2024, successor to the Victims' Compensation Act (Opferentschädigungsgesetz, OEG).
3. Drittes Opferrechtsreformgesetz (Third Victims' Rights Reform Act) of 21 December 2015 (BGBl. I S. 2525), which, among other things, implemented the EU Directive 2012/29/EU establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime.
4. Gesetz zur Reform des Straftatbestandes der Nachstellung (Act to Reform the Offence of Stalking) of 1 March 2021 (BGBl. I S. 323), basis for the new version of § 238 StGB as an offence of suitability (Eignungsdelikt).
5. Psychosoziale Prozessbegleitungsgesetz (PsychPbG) (Psychosocial Trial Support Act) and §§ 406g, 406h StPO, basis for the entitlement to psychosocial trial support.
6. WEISSER RING e. V., information on the victims' helpline (116 006) and nationwide advice services (weisser-ring.de), retrieved September 2026.
7. Hilfetelefon “Gewalt gegen Frauen” (“Violence against Women” helpline), information on availability (116 016, hilfetelefon.de), retrieved September 2026.

Where information is expressly marked as uncertain

For some items, no clear official primary source could be found or cross-checked during research. This applies in particular to:

• a general statutory cut-off period for the initial application for social compensation under SGB XIV – no such period could be clearly substantiated; affected people should ask the responsible office about any deadlines in their individual case (see topic page “Social compensation under SGB XIV”);
• the status of the so-called “Act against digital violence”: As of September 2026, this draft bill was at the stage of a ministerial draft (Referentenentwurf) and was not yet in force. This platform therefore refers exclusively to applicable law (§ 21 TDDDG) and expressly labels the draft bill as not yet applicable (see topic page “Victim protection for online offences”);
• the scope of the office of the Federal Commissioner for Victims (Bundesopferbeauftragte/r): As far as is currently known, this office is responsible exclusively for people affected by terrorist and extremist attacks and is not a general ombudsman for all victims of crime. This platform therefore deliberately does not list the office as a general point of contact, to avoid raising false expectations;
• the exact limitation provision for particularly long-term claims for injury to body and health: the relevant provision is § 199 Abs. 2 BGB (30-year period), not § 197 BGB, which concerns other claims that have already been established by a court title; for claims for violation of sexual self-determination, the suspension of limitation under § 208 BGB additionally applies until the injured person turns 21 (see topic page “Compensation for pain and suffering and damages”).

In all these cases, the relevant topic page expressly states the uncertainty or clarification, instead of presenting information as settled law or adopting it unchecked.

What this platform does – and what it does not

• Figures, deadlines and legal bases come from the sources named. Nothing was added that is not substantiated there. Where information could not be reliably verified, this is stated on the relevant page instead of guessing.
• This platform does not replace individual legal advice or psychological or therapeutic care. It offers orientation and points to offices that can help in your specific case.
• Criminal and social law on victims' rights is in flux (e.g. ongoing legislative procedures on digital violence); the information reflects the legal position as of September 2026 and does not replace current legal advice in individual cases.
• Deadlines are sometimes short and often start as soon as you know about the offence and the offender. If in doubt, go straight to an advice centre or a lawyer – see Advice and points of contact.