Germany

By order of the Bundestag and the Federal Government, DBH TOA Servicebuero was established in 1992 as a supraregional centre for the promotion of victim-offender compensation. It is an institution of the DBH e.V. - Association for Social Work, Criminal Law and Criminal Policy - and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection.

The Waage e.V. is a non-profit organisation that has provided conflict consulting, mediation and Restorative Justice in different fields since 1992. In Germany Waage was the first institution that provided Victim Offender Mediation with adult offenders and their victims. The emphases of the work in consultation and mediation are i.e.:

– act of violence – victim-offender mediation
– Conflicts in relationships/couples – Domestic Violence
– escalated conflicts between parents – conflicts between divorced couples about child matters and custody
– family conflicts
– conflicts between colleagues in workplaces
– group- and team conflicts
– intercultural conflicts
– conflicts according to civil law between contractual partners
– arbitration committee
– conflicts and escalation in the context of football play

At Waage e.V. different staff members are employed as mediators: 5 full-time staff members, 12 volunteers and 4 freelancers. Due to an intercultural team consultation can be provided in 12 different languages. Since 1992 staff members dealt with more than 12.000 cases. In addition to the mediation work, Waage e.V. provides also training for mediators. All staff members are involved in a national and international network. The European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ) therefore is an important partner.

Contact: Frauke Petzold (Board Member of the EFRJ 2002-2008)