New service aims to help victims of organized abuse © Rolf Vennenbernd
Sexual and ritual violence require special expertise in dealing with trauma. For that reason, from now on there will be a telephone service to offer help to victims of organized abuse.
A new telephone counseling service is designed to help victims of organized abuse. The service launches this Friday and is aimed at both victims and people who are concerned about someone, have a suspicion or are seeking information on the topic. The abuse commissioner of the German government, Johannes-Wilhelm Rorig, announced that.
Sexual and ritual violence
It is mainly about organized sexual and ritual violence. In organized violent structures, the systematic use of severe sexualized violence in combination with physical and psychological violence is made possible by the cooperation of several perpetrators.
Often this is associated with commercial sexual exploitation. When an ideology serves as a justification or rationale for violence, it is called ritual violence.
"berta" – free of charge and anonymous
Nationwide, the service called "berta" will be available free of charge and anonymously at 0800 /305 07 50 on Tuesdays from 4 to 8 p.m. and on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is part of the "Sexual Abuse Help Line," which is run by the Abuse Commissioner and the association N.I.N.A. is organized. It is the first such contact point for victims of organized sexualized and ritual violence, it said.
The contact persons of "berta" are reportedly psychologically and pedagogically trained and have many years of personal experience with organized and ritual violence. They advise on opting out and all related ies. In addition, they provide information and point out other opportunities for support. Every conversation at "berta" remains confidential, he continued.
Help for those affected to get out
Those affected by organized sexualized and ritual violence structures need active support to get out, because this form of violence is often practiced in very isolated structures and the existing help system is usually not effective, said Rorig.
There is also a need to raise awareness among psychological and educational professionals, as well as among the judiciary and politicians. Those affected reported that they were usually not believed when they confided in them.