Have You Experienced Sexualized Violence? We Are Here for You!
Our counselors have experience in this field. Our counseling and testing services offer a safe space for you. Both are anonymous and free of charge. We offer consultations over the phone or in person, whichever you prefer. You do not have to share more than you want to. You can collect your own swabs for bacterial infections. Feel free to bring a trusted person with you to your test.

PEP: HIV Protection
PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) is an emergency measure for people at substantial risk of having been exposed to HIV. It works by preventing HIV from multiplying in the body. The medication should be started as soon as possible, and no later than 48 hours after potential exposure. Not every doctor is authorized to prescribe PEP. In Heidelberg and the surrounding region, there are several options available to access PEP. You can visit the nearest facility, regardless of your place of residence.

• Find complete information about PEP here 

The "Morning-After Pill / Emergency coil": Protection Against Pregnancy
There is medication that can prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. It should be taken as soon as possible, and at most within 3 to 5 days (depending on the product). You can get it without a prescription at any pharmacy. Depending on the brand, it costs between €16 and €35.
Alternatively, a copper IUD can also be used as emergency contraception. This should also be inserted as soon as possible, within 5 days at the latest. It costs between €130 and €180, and insertion is only possible at a gynecological practice.

• For more information on "Morning-After Pill" visit Profamilia
• For more information on "Emergency coil" visit Profamilia
• Emergency Pharmacy Search (Aponet)

Unplanned Pregnancy - What now?
There are various support and counseling services available regarding pregnancy, parenthood, and pregnancy terminations. For further details, please refer to the Heidelberg City information website.

Suspected Spiking or GHB/GBL Use?
Call emergency services (112) or the police (110) as quickly as possible. Ask people around you not to leave you alone. If you are in a venue or club, reach out to event staff, venue staff, or security immediately.
If you encounter another person with suspected spiking or a drug overdose, call emergency services (112) right away. Check their breathing and pulse, and start first-aid measures if necessary. Do not leave the person alone under any circumstances.
Spiking substances (like GHB/GBL) are usually only detectable for up to 12 hours after ingestion. Therefore, it can be useful to collect a urine sample in a clean glass jar and keep it cold for later testing.
Important: Do not blame yourself! You did nothing wrong; the person who commits acts of violence is always the one at fault.

Forensic Documentation: Heidelberg Violence Victims’ Care Unit (Gewaltambulanz)
The Violence Victims’ Care Unit (Gewaltambulanz) is a specialized clinic at the Institute of Forensic Medicine. It is available 24/7 by calling +49 152 546 483 93 to schedule an appointment. It is best to visit as soon as possible, and you are welcome to bring a support person with you.
All services are free of charge, and you can use them regardless of whether you currently plan to file a police report or not:

• Forensic medical examination
• Court-admissible documentation of injuries
• Evidence and trace collection on the body
• Further diagnostic tests, e.g., chemical-toxicological analysis or forensic radiological imaging
• Psychosocial support upon request through the Guide4You project

Stealthing is a Crime!
Removing a condom during intimate contact without your partner's consent is sexualized violence and a punishable sexual offense. You can find more information about this [here] and [here].

Have you experienced this? All the tips and support services listed here apply to you too. Important: Do not blame yourself! You did nothing wrong; the person who commits acts of violence is always the one at fault.

Protecting Yourself Against Stealthing

• Trust your instincts: Stop if anything feels wrong or uncertain.
• Check that the condom is on before and after penetration (quick physical check)
• Consider using an internal condom (Femidom) if that works for you
• Choose specific environments: Some people feel safer having sex dates in spaces with onlookers (potential witnesses), such as swinger clubs, sex parties, adult cinemas, or cruising areas
• Report the act (including attempted stealthing) to the police if you have the capacity to do so

Filing a Police Report?
If you have the capacity, filing a report for (sexual) offenses is advisable; however, there is no obligation to do so. A report does not always have to be filed immediately and can also be done at a later time. Even if not every individual case leads to a conviction, the sheer accumulation of reports can make a difference. This is the only way sexual offenses can be prosecuted and made visible through documentation and statistical tracking.
We recommend seeking advice from a specialized counseling center and/or a lawyer beforehand (use the Help Portal Sexual Abuse Directory to search for local services), and it can be helpful to bring a trusted person along.

Violence on the Internet
The internet is not a lawless space; you have the right to be protected from (sexualized) violence online as well.

• Digital Violence Information Page: Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) (available in German only)
• Information Page: Federal Association of Women’s Counseling Centers and Rape Crisis Centers (bff)
• Information Page: Women’s Shelter Coordination (Frauenhauskoordination) (not available in English)
• Information Portal for Safe Media Use: www.klicksafe.eu/en
• Help for Digital Violence: hateaid.org/en / Create legally compliant screenshots here
• Help for Cyberstalking: antistalking.haecksen.org/en
• Police Information on Unsolicited Nudes (Dickpics) (available in German only)
• Report Unsolicited Nudes via the Dickstinction Online Tool
• Sexual Violence on the Internet Information Page: Independent Commissioner for Child Sexual Abuse Issues (UBSKM)

Need Counseling?

National Helplines:

• 📞 Violence Against Women Helpline: 0800 116 016
• 📞 Violence Against Men Helpline: 0800 123 99 00

Search Portals for Local Support Organizations:

• 🌐 frauen-gegen-gewalt.de/en (Women Against Violence)
• 🌐 hilfe-portal-missbrauch.de/en/home (Help Portal Sexual Abuse)

Contact information subject to change without notice. Provided without guarantee.
Last updated: July 2026