Retired police officer in Winterberg in court: Nine women report!

Retired police officer in Winterberg in court: Nine women report!

The rape process against a retired police officer from Winterberg is the focus of a severe scandal that shakes the victim protection organization "Weißer Ring". Before the Arnsberg district court, the allegations of a total of nine women must prove themselves, the information that they have become victims of sexual violence again during their help. The acts are said to have occurred in 2020, and the first advertisement against the accused law enforcement officer was already filed in 2019, but was classified as not credible. The Federal Court of Justice rejected the revision of the convicted police officer on December 17, 2024 and confirmed a judgment of the Arnsberg Regional Court, which had imposed a punishment of three years and six months

The accused, who worked for the "White Ring" in the past, had submitted a partial confession and stated that a mishap happened during the care of one of the women concerned during relaxation exercises. However, he denied that it was a rape. The women who had turned to the organization not only reported sexual harassment, but also of attacking behavior and threats. The public prosecutor's office has received an investigation and had a statement psychological reports prepared in order to check the credibility of the descriptions.

changes in "Weißer Ring"

After the allegations became public, the "White Ring" has fundamentally revised its advice rules. From now on, victims of sex crimes, domestic violence or stalking are only being looked after by female employees or according to the "six-eyes principle". The head of the Hochsauerlandkreis branch was released from his tasks, and a criminal complaint was submitted against him on suspicion of crimes against sexual self -determination. Some of the women concerned have also been legally taken against the organization, since they did not feel enough taken.

A affected woman has sent Screenshots from WhatsApp conversations who show that she was blocked by an employee of the "Weißen Ring". This has also encouraged the women concerned to publicize their experiences and to make demands for consequences. It remains to be seen which legal steps the women will initiate against the organization, which should have been dealt with too carefree with the reports.

context of gender -specific violence

The incidents in the "Weißer Ring" case are in the context of a comprehensive discussion about gender -specific violence in Germany. A recently presented report by the German Institute for Human Rights, which analyzes the implementation of the Istanbul Convention, illustrates the challenges in combating this problem. The report deals with developments from 2020 to 2022 and documents the efforts of the German authorities to combat the phenomenon of gender -specific violence and to strengthen the rights of victims.

The case of the retired police officer could also provide an impetus for a broader debate about dealing with victims of sexual violence. It shows that the sensitization to these topics and the implementation of protective measures are of the greatest importance to prevent future attacks.