Transfer of victim's personal data from police to victim support services

A well-functioning referral mechanism from the police to victim support services is a crucial element and a cornerstone of any effective system of victim support.

FRA findings gathered in the framework of this project can be grouped into three models:

  1. Police inform the victim of available support services and leave it up to the victim to get in contact with the service
  2. Police transfer personal data of the victim (name, address etc.) and some basic information concerning the offence to a support service, thereby enabling the service to get in contact with the victim and to more proactively offer support and advice (first column)
  3. Same as 2; but police are required to ask the victim to consent (second column) to their personal data and some basic information concerning the offence to be transferred.

The information in the table below reflects models 2 and 3; showing whether police in EU Member States transfer victim data to support services in certain cases - such as in cases of domestic violence or cases concerning minors, for example (column 1) and if they do, whether or not victim consent is needed (column 2), and whether there is a legal basis for the transfer of data (column 3). In most Member States, data is transferred from the police to victim support services in at least some cases (such as cases of domestic violence), and mostly only with the victim's consent. There are countries and cases where the victims consent is not required; for example in the Netherlands, where data is transferred automatically from police to the main victim support organisation.

Transfer of victim's personal data from police to victim support services
 

Transfer of data personal data concerning the victim takes place in certain cases where police contact VSSs on behalf of the victim? - view map

Victim's consent needed before the transfer of data? - view map

Is there a legal basis for the transfer of the data?
AT
BE
BG      
CY  
CZ
DE
DK  
EE
EL      
ES
FI
FR
HR      
HU      
IE  
IT      
LT  
LU  
LV      
MT  
NL  
PL  
PT  
RO
SE
SI
SK      
UK  
Total 21 17 15

Note: A tick in brackets indicate that transfer of data takes place in some cases; that victims consent is required in some types of cases, or that a legal basis exists for the transfer of data for some types of crime. The absence of a tick indicates that no transfer takes place; no consent is required and there is no legal basis.

Overview of Member States where transfer of a victim's data from police to victim support services takes place (in certain cases)

 
 

Source: FRA, 2014

  Transfer of data takes place in certain cases with the victim's consent
  Transfer of data takes place in certain cases, but the victim's consent is not required
  No data transfer takes place