Report them!

🚨 In acute emergencies: Get help immediately!

If you are currently in a dangerous or threatening situation, call emergency services right away at 110 .

  • The police can respond quickly in acute danger.
  • For medical emergencies, call the ambulance at 112.
  • After violence or abuse, the Gewaltambulanz Heidelberg Beweise sichern. Ihr könnt dann in Ruhe entscheiden, ob Ihr eine Anzeige stellen wollt oder nicht.

👉 Important: This page provides information and support for filing a report and for the time after an incident. In acute situations, please do not hesitate to seek help immediately.

Monnem Pride stands for visibility, solidarity, and safety for all queer people. But we also know: Even in our safer spaces, queerphobic, discriminatory, or abusive behavior can occur – during the demonstration, at the street festival, or around it.

You are not responsible for what happened to you, and you have the right to defend yourself.
Whether you decide to file a report or seek support – you don't have to go through this alone. This page is here to help you not face such experiences by yourself.

Together, we create spaces where we can be visible and safe – on July 12 and every other day.

Why filing a report is important

Many affected individuals hesitate to report discriminatory or abusive experiences — out of fear, shame, or uncertainty. That’s completely understandable. At the same time, filing a report can be a powerful step: for yourself, for others, and for social change.

Reports set clear boundaries, raise awareness of structural problems and help bring about long-term change — including within the police and legal systems. Veränderungen durchzusetzen – auch auf polizeilicher und juristischer Ebene.

By doing so, we make visible what is often ignored.

Here are some reasons why taking this step can be worthwhile:

  • Setting clear boundaries – Discriminatory or violent behavior must not go unpunished.
  • Empowering those affected – Filing a report can be an important step toward reclaiming your power.
  • Showing solidarity – Even if you're a witness: filing a report means protecting others.
  • Making structures visible – Many cases go unreported; reports help document the extent of anti-queer violence.
  • Encouraging long-term change – Only when cases become public can the police, judiciary, and politics respond more effectively.
  • Enabling prevention – Perpetrators need to know their actions will not go unnoticed.

How to file a report in Mannheim

Whether you prefer to go directly to the police or file a report online – you have several ways to take action. What’s important is: you don’t have to do everything right away. Take the time you need.

Here, we show you how to proceed in Mannheim and what to keep in mind to ensure your report is taken seriously and followed up on.

Staying safe – Use a different address when filing a report

If you feel unsafe providing your personal home address in a report, you can use an alternative legal address (ladungsfähige Adresse) for correspondence. This allows you to file a report without revealing your private information.

Examples of such addresses include a law officea counseling center or victim support organization(if they offer this service), or a trusted personwho provides written consent and can be reliably reached.

If you prefer, you can go in person to a police station and file a report there. In Mannheim, there are several locations where you can file a report regardless of where the incident took place. A complete list of police stations in Mannheim can be found on the official website of the Baden-WĂĽrttemberg PoliceThere, you can search for the nearest station and also get information by phone in advance.

For many people affected, the online police station (Online-Wache) can be a lower-threshold and more comfortable alternative, allowing you to take the first step digitally and in the comfort of your home. Your report will still be processed even if not all questions are answered in detail. However, the more information you provide, the better the police can investigate.

Important: Filing a report through the online police station (Online-Wache) is legally equivalent to filing one in person at a police station and will be treated the same by the police.

Tips for an Effective Report

What should be included in your report?

  • Describe what happened as precisely as possible:, was passiert ist:
    • Who was involved?
    • What was said or done?
    • When (date and time) and where (place, e.g., street name, event) did it happen?
    • Were there any events before or afterthat might be relevant?
  • Stick to the facts. If you want to include assumptions or describe how you felt, clearly label them (e.g., “I had the feeling that…”).

Preserve evidence

  • Secure any available evidence::
    • Screenshots of messages or social media posts
    • Photos or videos
    • Clothing with visible traces (do not wash!)
    • Witness statements (write down names and contact info)
  • Write down everything important immediatelyafter the incident while your memory is still fresh. Even handwritten notes can be helpful.
  • You can file a report even without evidence!

Get support

  • Du don’t have to file a report alone::
    • Counseling centers like PLUS, ADB, or Leuchtlinie can accompany and support you.
    • You have the right to an interpreter or someone to accompany you.
  • You may provide an alternative official mailing addressif you don’t want your home address to appear in the records, in accordance with § 68 (2) StPO. More information here.

Anything else?

  • You can still file a report later.Depending on the offense, the statute of limitations may be several years. Legal advice can help clarify this.
  • A report is possible even without evidenceand can be important – for example, to reveal patterns or stop perpetrators.
  • Du It’s your choicewhether to file a report. There is no obligation. But: Every report can help ensure that violence and discrimination do not go without consequences.

Important: The phrase "I press charges" (German: "Ich stelle Strafantrag") is crucial when reporting certain offenses, such as insults. Only by saying this will the case be pursued further, even if the public prosecutor’s office claims there is "no public interest" in prosecuting it.

Strafanzeige, Strafantrag & Antragsdelikt – What’s the Difference?

Strafanzeige (Criminal Complaint)

A Strafanzeige (Criminal Complaint) means that you inform the police or public prosecutor that a crime has taken place.

  • Das kann Anyone can do this – even if you're not directly affected (e.g., witnesses).
  • Filing a complaint initiates an investigation, but it doesn't automatically lead to a court case.

Strafantrag (Formal Request to Prosecute)

A Strafantrag (Formal Request to Prosecute) s more than a complaint: with it, you explicitly requestthat the offender(s) be prosecuted under criminal law.

  • For certain offenses, this request is requiredfor the public prosecutor to take action.
  • Only those affected (or their legal representatives) are allowed to file a Strafantrag.
  • Important: A Strafantrag must be submitted within 3 months of the incident!

What is an "Antragsdelikt" (Offense Requiring a Formal Request)?

A Antragsdelikt is a criminal offense that will not be prosecuted unless a Strafantrag is filed, wenn kein Strafantrag vorliegt.

Examples include:

  • Insult
  • Trespassing
  • Assault (in some cases)
  • Sexual harassment (§184i of the German Criminal Code)

For these offenses, filing a complaint alone is not enough – you must also submit a Strafantrag..

What can be reported to the police?

Not everything that feels wrong is legally punishable — but many things are. Here are some examples of what can be reported:

Physical Assault

  • Any form of unwanted physical contact (e.g., touching without consent, pushing, shoving)
  • Bodily harm, even if the injury seems minor

Sexual Harassment and Sexualized Violence

  • Lewd or sexualized remarks
  • Unwanted touching, kissing, or showing/sending sexual content
  • Any sexual act without consent (§177 German Criminal Code)

Anti-Queer or Discriminatory Language and Threats

  • Insults based on gender, sexuality, or gender identity
  • Hate speech (including online)
  • Threats or incitement to violence

Discrimination by Police or Security Services

  • You can also file a report for police violence or discriminatory behavior by officers – independent support services are available to help you with this. (such as LADS)

In the following section, we list specific examples of queerphobic, sexist, or abusive language and behavior that may occur during Monnem Pride or in everyday life. These examples may be emotionally distressing. They are hidden in a collapsible section so that you can choose if and when to view them. You can also find a guide on this topic here.

Click here to see examples of criminal insults
  • „Du Schwuchtel, geh zurĂĽck, wo du herkommst!“ (“You faggot, go back to where you came from!”) → §185 StGB Beleidigung (Insult)
  • „Der hat doch AIDS, der steckt bestimmt alle an.“ (“He probably has AIDS, he’s going to infect everyone.”) → §186 StGB Ăśble Nachrede (Defamation of character / Slander)
  • „Die betrĂĽgt alle, sie ist gar keine echte Frau.“ (“She’s deceiving everyone, she’s not a real woman.”) → §187 StGB Verleumdung (Malicious falsehood / Defamatory accusation)
  • „Alle Schwulen und Lesben gehören weggesperrt.“ (“All gays and lesbians should be locked away.”) → §130 StGB Volksverhetzung (Incitement to hatred)
  • „Trans Menschen zerstören unsere Gesellschaft.“ (“Trans people are destroying our society.”) → §130 StGB Volksverhetzung (Incitement to hatred)
  • „Wenn ihr weiter Händchen haltet, passiert was.“ (“If you keep holding hands, something’s going to happen.”) (directed at a same-sex couple) → §241 StGB Bedrohung (Threat)
  • Attack accompanied by queerphobic insults. → §223 StGB Körperverletzung (Bodily harm), possibly §46 Abs. 2 StGB (Aggravating factor: hate motive)

You are not alone – Support after an incident

If you’ve been affected by queerphobic, sexist, or discriminatory violence, it can leave deep emotional scars. On our page “You Are Not Alone” you’ll find support services, counseling options, and resourcesto help you process what happened – anonymously, with solidarity, and in a trauma-informed way.

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