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Sexual harassment is prohibited in Germany both as a workplace rights issue and as a criminal offense. In Stade, which is in Lower Saxony, the same federal laws apply as everywhere in Germany. Unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that violates a person’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, or humiliating environment can trigger legal consequences. Depending on the conduct, authorities can investigate under the criminal code and victims can seek workplace remedies, civil compensation, and court protection orders.
At work, the General Equal Treatment Act, known as the AGG, protects employees, trainees, and job applicants from sexual harassment and requires employers to prevent and stop harassment. Certain forms of sexual harassment are also crimes under the German Criminal Code, including unwanted physical sexual touching, sexual coercion, and specific image-based offenses. Victims in Stade can report to the police, apply for court orders, and pursue damages, often with the support of a local lawyer and victim services.
You may need a lawyer if you are deciding whether to make a criminal complaint and want to understand likely outcomes, evidence needs, and your rights as a victim. Legal counsel can also help you apply for protective or no-contact orders, including urgent interim orders, if you fear renewed harassment.
At work, a lawyer can guide you through the AGG complaint process, represent you before the employer and the works council, and file claims in the labor court for compensation or damages if the employer fails to act. Counsel is particularly important to meet short AGG deadlines and to avoid retaliation or confidentiality pitfalls during internal investigations.
If images or messages are involved, a lawyer can help stop the distribution, demand takedowns, and seek injunctions and damages for privacy or personality rights violations. If the harasser is a landlord, neighbor, classmate, or acquaintance, a lawyer can advise on the best mix of criminal complaint, civil injunction, and evidence preservation. Finally, if you are accused of harassment, you should seek immediate legal advice before giving statements to an employer, school, or police.
Criminal offenses: Section 184i of the German Criminal Code makes sexual harassment a crime when a person touches another in a sexually harassing way without consent. Penalties include fines or imprisonment up to two years, and more in aggravating circumstances such as group offenses. More serious acts are prosecuted under Section 177 (sexual assault and rape). Related offenses can include insult, threats, stalking, and image-based crimes such as non-consensual intimate photos or upskirting, which is separately criminalized.
Workplace protections: The AGG defines sexual harassment broadly as unwanted conduct of a sexual nature including remarks, gestures, touching, displaying pornographic content, or sending sexual messages that violate dignity or create a hostile environment. Employers must prevent harassment, provide a complaint office, investigate, and take effective measures such as warnings, transfers, or dismissal. Employees may refuse performance while retaining pay if the employer fails to act and must not be disadvantaged for making a complaint.
Deadlines for workplace claims: Employees generally must assert AGG claims in writing to the employer within two months of the incident or of becoming aware of it. If the matter is not resolved, a lawsuit for AGG compensation usually must be filed in the labor court within three months after the written assertion. Strict time limits and any additional collective agreement deadlines make early legal advice essential.
Civil remedies: Victims can claim monetary compensation for pain and suffering and other damages under the Civil Code. For privacy violations and unlawful sharing of intimate images, injunctions and takedowns can be sought. Many civil claims are subject to a general three-year limitation that typically starts at the end of the year in which you learned of the harm and the person responsible.
Protection orders: Repeated harassment, threats, or assaults may justify protective orders under the Violence Protection Act, including no-contact and stay-away orders. Courts can issue interim orders on short notice if there is urgency.
Reporting and limitation: You can report to the police in Stade or directly to the public prosecutor’s office. Emergencies should be reported via 110. For the offense of sexual harassment under Section 184i, the statute of limitations is generally five years. Even without an immediate complaint, confidential forensic evidence preservation is available in many parts of Lower Saxony, which can help if you choose to report later.
Any unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that violates a person’s dignity or creates a hostile, intimidating, or humiliating environment can qualify. This includes sexual comments, messages, gestures, showing pornographic content, unwanted touching, coerced kisses, or pressure for sexual favors. Certain conduct involving physical contact is also a criminal offense.
It can be both. The AGG governs workplace harassment and creates employer duties and compensation rights. Separately, the Criminal Code punishes specific acts such as sexually motivated unwanted touching, sexual assault, coercion, and certain image-based abuses. A single incident can trigger both employment law measures and a criminal investigation.
In an emergency call 110. You can file a criminal complaint at any police station in Stade or with the public prosecutor. You can also report workplace harassment through your employer’s complaint channel or the works council. A lawyer can file complaints on your behalf and request protective measures.
Save messages, emails, screenshots, photos, call logs, and names of witnesses. Write a dated account of what happened with times and locations. Seek medical care promptly if there was physical contact so injuries can be documented. Do not break the law to obtain evidence, for example by illegal recordings.
You can get confidential advice anonymously from hotlines and counseling centers, and hospitals in Lower Saxony offer confidential forensic evidence preservation without an immediate criminal complaint. For a police investigation or court case, you generally need to provide your identity, though courts can employ protective measures to limit contact with the accused.
You have the right to complain, to have the employer investigate and act, and to be protected from retaliation. If the employer does not take appropriate measures, you can refuse to work while continuing to receive pay until the risk is addressed. You may also claim compensation under the AGG and, in serious cases, terminate employment for cause.
Yes. AGG claims generally must be asserted in writing within two months of the incident or knowledge. If unresolved, you usually must file in the labor court within three months after your written assertion. Other internal deadlines may apply, so seek legal advice quickly.
The police will record your statement and collect evidence. The prosecutor decides whether to bring charges. If charges are filed, the case goes to court. As a victim, you may have rights to a support person, psychosocial trial support, and to join the proceedings as a private accessory prosecutor in serious cases.
Yes. If you are being threatened, stalked, or repeatedly harassed, you can apply to the local court for a no-contact or stay-away order under the Violence Protection Act. In urgent cases, the court can issue an interim order quickly. A lawyer can prepare the application and evidence.
Sharing or taking intimate images without consent can be a crime and also violates civil personality rights. You can demand immediate takedowns, seek an injunction, claim damages, and file a criminal complaint. Act quickly to preserve evidence and prevent further spread.
Police and emergency: Police emergency 110. Medical emergency 112. You can make non-emergency reports at any police station in Stade.
Victim support: Weisser Ring victim helpline 116 006 offers free nationwide victim assistance and can connect you with local support in Stade.
Confidential counseling: Hilfetelefon Gewalt gegen Frauen 08000 116 016 provides 24-7 counseling in multiple languages, with local referrals. For men, Hilfetelefon Gewalt an Männern 0800 123 9900 provides confidential support.
Support for children and youth: Number against Sorrow for children and adolescents 116 111. Sexual abuse help line 0800 22 55 530.
Local services: The Equal Opportunities Office of the City or District of Stade and regional victim assistance organizations in Lower Saxony can help with counseling, accompanying you to police or court, and safety planning.
Courts and prosecution: The local court in Stade handles protection orders, and the competent labor court handles AGG claims. The public prosecutor’s office is responsible for criminal prosecutions in the region.
Prioritize safety. If you are in immediate danger, call 110. Seek medical care if needed and ask about confidential forensic evidence preservation even if you are not ready to report to the police.
Document what happened. Save messages, write down dates, times, and witnesses, and keep any medical records. Avoid communicating with the harasser and do not delete evidence.
Consider reporting. You can report to the police in Stade and, if it is workplace related, to your employer’s complaint office or works council. A lawyer can submit reports and applications for restraining orders on your behalf.
Protect your rights at work. Use the AGG complaint process promptly. Because deadlines are short, consult a labor lawyer quickly to preserve compensation claims and to plan next steps.
Get legal advice. A lawyer experienced in sexual harassment cases can explain criminal and civil options, prepare filings, negotiate with employers, and coordinate with victim support services. Bring your timeline and any evidence to your first consultation.
Seek support. Contact a victim assistance organization for confidential emotional and practical help, including safety planning, accompaniment to appointments, and help with benefits or leave from work.
Follow up. Track all deadlines and court dates, and continue to document any new incidents. Ask your lawyer about additional remedies such as injunctions, damages, or employer measures to ensure a safe environment.
