Hospital emergency ambulance assessment in Bremen-Mitte reveals high demand
In Bremen, Germany, the Bremen-Mitte Clinic has established a specialized center known as the Violence Protection Ambulance. This unique service is dedicated to documenting injuries resulting from acts of violence and providing support for victims.
The center offers a range of key services, including meticulous medical examination and documentation of physical injuries related to violent acts, initial medical care, and coordination of further victim support services. The Violence Protection Ambulance also collaborates with legal and social institutions, such as the police, forensic experts, and social workers, by supplying accurate injury reports.
In addition to these services, the center contributes to violence prevention efforts through data collection and raising awareness.
The Violence Protection Ambulance is funded through a combination of sources, including government health or social services budgets, grants from public safety or crime prevention organizations, and support from the hospital administration and external donations aimed at violence prevention.
The center is conveniently located near the emergency room, which is beneficial for victims requiring immediate medical attention. Minor victims are cared for at the Prof. Hess Parent-Child Center.
The center, which was established six months ago, is a project within the Bremen State Action Plan "Implement the Istanbul Convention - Protect Women and Children from Violence". The Istanbul Convention is a Council of Europe treaty aimed at preventing and combating violence against women.
Victims can contact the center confidentially, without the need for a formal complaint, by phone at 0421 497 73920 or by email at [email protected]. Further information is available at www.gesundheitnord.de/gewaltschutzambulanz.
The primary task of the center is to document the circumstances and injuries resulting from acts of violence in writing and through photography. Dr. Saskia Etzold, the medical director of the center, oversees the forensic medical examination and photographic documentation, while Ramona Rohlwing provides guidance and connects victims with counseling services.
Since its establishment, over 90 victims of violence have contacted the center. Most of these victims have been women, but men have also been examined and documented. The center works closely with colleagues in gynecology and the Prof. Hess Parent-Child Center to better serve adult victims of domestic violence, the largest victim group.
The funding for the setup phase until 2026 is 1.2 million euros. The documentation is stored for up to ten years. Dr. Etzold and Ramona Rohlwing have distributed over 13,000 informational materials and given over 50 presentations to raise awareness about the center and its services.
New offers have been created or existing ones expanded nationwide since Germany ratified the Istanbul Convention in 2017. The Violence Protection Ambulance at Bremen-Mitte Clinic is a significant step forward in the fight against violence and a valuable resource for victims in need of support.
- The Bremen-Mitte Clinic's Violence Protection Ambulance offers a range of services, including forensic medical examination, initial medical care, and coordination of further victim support services.
- The Violence Protection Ambulance collaborates with legal and social institutions, such as the police, forensic experts, and social workers, to provide accurate injury reports.
- The center, a project within the Bremen State Action Plan, is funded through a combination of sources, including government health or social services budgets, grants, hospital administration support, and external donations.
- Victims can contact the center confidentially, without a formal complaint, by phone or email for assistance and guidance.
- The center works closely with colleagues in gynecology and the Prof. Hess Parent-Child Center to better serve adult victims of domestic violence, the largest victim group.
- The Istanbul Convention, aimed at preventing and combating violence against women, has led to the creation of new services or the expansion of existing ones nationwide in Germany, with the Violence Protection Ambulance at Bremen-Mitte Clinic being a significant step forward in the fight against violence.
