Report bodily harm

That depends on the offence. For simple bodily harm under § 223 StGB you need both: § 230 Abs. 1 StGB states that it is "prosecuted only upon request". For dangerous bodily harm under § 224 StGB – involving a weapon, committed jointly, by stealth or life-threatening – no request is required, because § 230 does not list it. Since in the first moment it is often not clear which case applies, the most practical approach is to always explicitly state the request to prosecute and have it recorded. It never does any harm.

Not from the date of the offence. § 77b Abs. 2 StGB states that the deadline starts "at the end of the day" "on which the entitled person obtains knowledge of the act and of the identity of the offender". Both must come together. If you were attacked on the street by a stranger, the deadline has therefore not started yet – it only starts once investigations produce a name. If several people are involved, the deadline runs separately for each one under subsection 3. This is why many people wrongly believe they are too late.

Report it anyway. § 230 Abs. 1 StGB contains an exception that is often overlooked: prosecution still takes place even without a request if "the prosecuting authority considers action ex officio necessary because of a special public interest in prosecution". This mainly applies to serious injuries, repeat offenders, domestic violence, and attacks on particularly vulnerable people. Whether it applies is decided by the public prosecution office – but it can only decide if it learns of the offence at all. And if it turns out that dangerous bodily harm was involved, the request plays no role anyway.

There is no general figure for this. Medical documentation drawn up explicitly to secure evidence is often not a service covered by statutory health insurance and is billed privately; the amount depends on the effort involved and is not set nationwide. So ask beforehand. Also ask about a forensic medical examination: several federal states and university hospitals offer victims of violence such an examination free of charge, in some cases even without a report having been filed – but the offer is not available everywhere and is not structured the same way everywhere.

You can withdraw the request to prosecute, and that is possible for offences requiring a request to prosecute, such as simple bodily harm. The report itself cannot be undone: the public prosecution office must investigate once it has knowledge. And even after the request is withdrawn, it can continue prosecuting because of the special public interest – this is explicitly provided for, particularly in cases of domestic violence, because a withdrawal there often happens under pressure. If you are no longer interested in prosecution, tell the public prosecution office; the decision is made there, not by you.

Not for bodily harm. The joint portal of the state police forces says so explicitly: for offences involving threats or the use of violence you should contact the police immediately, in person or via the emergency number 110. This is not a mere formality – on the spot, injuries can be seen and described, traces secured, and protective measures checked immediately, and you receive information on victim support. An online form does none of that. If going to a police station is difficult for you, bring someone you trust along; this is permitted and common.

More than many people expect, and without you first having to go to court. Under the police law of the relevant state, the police can order immediate measures, in particular an eviction from the shared home with a ban on returning – the offender has to leave the shared home, not you. Requirements, maximum duration and the name of the measure vary from federal state to federal state, so ask about it on the spot. This measure bridges the time until the local court decides on an order under the Act on Protection against Violence. Explicitly raise this with the officers, and ask to be referred to a counselling centre.

There is no binding deadline, and no genuine estimate of the duration can be made – it depends on the evidence, the number of people involved, and how busy the public prosecution office is. Expect it to take months. As an injured party, you will be informed of the outcome if you have requested this; do so straight away when filing the report. If the case is discontinued, you may be able to challenge this by lodging a Beschwerde (objection). And independent of the criminal proceedings, civil claims for pain and suffering compensation and damages remain possible – a discontinuance of the criminal proceedings does not end them. There is also an entitlement that is often overlooked, because it does not depend on the offender: social compensation under §§ 13 ff. SGB XIV. It is based on a special duty of the state to provide compensation — it does not matter whether the offender is caught, convicted, or able to pay. A criminal complaint is not a requirement for this; § 17 Abs. 2 SGB XIV only requires reasonable cooperation in establishing the facts. And the first two sessions at a trauma outpatient clinic are covered under § 11 Abs. 5 SGB XIV even if no entitlement ultimately exists.