This page answers your questions about notifying the police of intimate partner violence
When and how can I notify the police about my violent partner/family member/close friend for violence?
Anyone can report someone to the police for violence. The notification must be filed with the police district in which the violence was committed.
It is not a requirement that the notification must be filed immediately after the violence was committed. It is always beneficial, however, to report criminal acts as soon as possible, because the longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes for the police to document what happened.
It is important to go to an A&E ward or one’s own doctor as soon as possible if you are experiencing pain, have visible injuries/bruises or other indications that can be documented during a possible criminal proceeding.
Criminal law establishes some periods of limitations which vary depending on the range of punishment set for the violated provision of the criminal code.
You are welcome to contact us for further details about this.
What happens if I report the perpetrator of violence to the police?
Usually, the police report will mean that both the victim and suspect will be questioned by the police. The questioning will take place at home or the police station, and the parties are questioned separately. If children have been involved, either as victims or witnesses of the violence, the police will question them in a manner that addresses the child’s situation and protects the child as much as possible.
After the police complete the necessary examinations, they will assess whether there is a basis for pressing charges against the perpetrator of the violence. If this is the case, the matter will be forwarded to the prosecutor in the police district. He/she must assess whether the evidence is sufficiently substantial to be able to lead to a conviction in criminal proceedings. If this is the case, charges will be brought against the perpetrator of the violence, and the case will be sent to court.
Once the city court has scheduled a hearing in the case, the victim will usually have to testify in court. If the perpetrator and the victim are intimate partners, the victim must be advised that he/she has the right to be excused from testifying against the perpetrator. This will entail an appreciable risk of the perpetrator being acquitted if there are no other witnesses in the case.
If the perpetrator of the violence confesses to the violence, it will not be necessary for the state prosecutor to call witnesses at the hearing.
If, on the other hand, the state prosecutor does not assess that the evidence in the case is sufficient, charges will not be brought against the perpetrator of the violence. The indictment will subsequently be dropped pursuant to the rules of the Administration of Justice Act and the notifier/victim will be notified.
You can read more about what it means to be a witness, a victim or an accused in criminal proceedings on the prosecuting authority’s website www.anklagemyndigheden.dk/en under the ‘Witness, victim or accused’ menu.