Leaflet Concerning the Law on the Assistance to Victims

This leaflet is directed to women who have suffered physical, psychological
or sexual injury and have become victim in the sense of the law on the assistance to victims.

General rights

·           As concerned woman you may choose by which cantonal counselling service for victims
   you want to be assisted. You may claim judicial, social end psychological consultancy.

·           The services of the counselling are free of cost. The counsellors are bound to keep the secret.
  The claims for assistance are independent of a charge.

·           Depending on the financial situation, cost contributions for third party assistance services may
  be paid (e. g. cost for therapies, for shelters, etc.).

·           Under certain conditions, an application may be made within five years since the last act for a
  financial indemnification (e. g. loss of earnings) and moral compensation. This time limit is
  valid for offences committed before the 1st January 2007.

 

In case of a criminal procedure you are entitled to:

·           be accompanied by a person of your confidence at the police and the enquiring instances

·           claim that the interrogations take place in the absence of the offender

·           refuse statements on matters that concern your intimacy

·           claim to be informed about important decisions, e. g. release from custody, annulment of
  a contact ban, etc. 

·            

If you have suffered of sexual violence, you are in addition entitled to claim:

·           that as well the interrogation as well a possible translation of the interrogation at the police
  force or the inquiry authority be made by a woman

·           not to be directly confronted to the offender during the whole criminal procedure

·           the exclusion of the public access to the court meetings

 

Frauen Nottelefon Winterthur (Emergency phone for women)

Opening hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 11.00 - 18.00 hours

Wednesday: 13.00 - 18.00 hours

Our Offer

Attendance and assistance in your strained situation by:

·           advice in legal, social and psychological matters

·           attendance, if necessary, at interrogations at the police force and inquiry authorities

·           finding of lawyers, doctors and therapists (male or female)

·           establishment of contacts to other offers for assistance, authorities or services

·           assistance for the submission of petitions for the assistance to victims