Psychosocial court counselling - applying for a court order
Have you been the victim of a criminal offence and are expected to testify as a witness?
Then you can get help from a psychosocial trial counsellor.
These are specialists who are specially trained in dealing with victims of criminal offences. They act as contact persons for all questions regarding the course of criminal proceedings and can accompany you to hearings at the police station, public prosecutor's office or court.
In addition, they can also arrange further help for you, such as therapy and psychological counselling.
The aim of psychosocial trial counselling is to reduce the individual burden on victims and to promote their ability to testify as a witness in criminal proceedings.
Responsible authority
before an indictment is filed by the public prosecutor's office:
the local court at the seat of the public prosecutor's office responsible for the preliminary proceedings.
after an indictment has been filed by the public prosecutor's office:
the court dealing with the criminal proceedings
You can also contact the competent public prosecutor's office.
Contact
Contact
Details
Prerequisite
You have been the victim of a criminal offence and have been injured as a result.
As a victim of a criminal offence, you are entitled to psychosocial court counselling. As a rule, you will have to bear the costs yourself.
Only if the competent court assigns you a psychosocial court counsellor will you not incur any costs.
Children and young people who have been victims of serious violent or sexual offences are entitled to such an assignment.
Under certain circumstances, adults who have been victims of serious violent or sexual offences can also be assigned a psychosocial court counsellor, as can children, parents, siblings, spouses or partners whose relative has been killed as a result of an unlawful act.
In order to be assigned a guardian as an adult, the victim must have a special need for protection. This is usually the case, for example, for
- Persons with a disability,
- Persons with a mental impairment,
- Victims of sexual offences,
- Victims of violent offences (with serious physical, psychological or financial consequences or prolonged offences such as domestic violence or stalking),
- Victims of violence motivated by prejudice and other hate crimes and
- Victims of human trafficking.
Procedure
You must apply to the competent court for the appointment of a psychosocial court counsellor.
The court will select the person to be assigned.
However, you can also suggest someone in your application.
You can use the support of the PräventSozial gemeinnützige GmbH, Neckarstraße 121, 70190 Stuttgart, Tel. 0711 58533950, e-mail: kontakt@zeugeninfo.de for the application.
You can also get help from the police, public prosecutor's office or branch office and the court.
Deadlines
none
The earlier you submit the application, the earlier you will receive support. It makes sense to submit the application as soon as you make contact with the police for the first time.
Required documents
completed application form
Costs
none if the competent court orders a psychosocial counsellor to accompany you through the proceedings
In all other cases, you bear the costs yourself.
Processing time
none
Miscellaneous
none
Legal basis
Strafprozessordnung (StPO):
- § 406g Psychosoziale Prozessbegleitung
Gesetz über die Psychosoziale Prozessbegleitung im Strafverfahren (PsychPbG)
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Justizministerium Baden-Württemberg, 30.10.2024