The Amadeu Antonio Foundation is creating a fund that can provide financial support to people affected by sexual violence, for example with legal expenses.
Demonstration before the Rammstein concert in July 2023 in Berlin Photo: Luciano Lima/imago
The Amadeu Antonio Foundation in Heidelberg and Berlin has created a fund for victims of sexual violence, which can be used, among other things, to cover legal costs. “Together we not only want to understand structural imbalances, such as abuse of power, but also to address them socially,” explained co-initiator Jannik Rienhoff. “The priority should be to offer those affected the best possible support.”
The Tilda Fund was created from the “How Much Power Does 1?” fundraising campaign. The money was intended, for example, to help with the numerous warnings following the accusations against the group Rammstein and its singer. Celebrities such as Jasmina Kuhnke, Nora Tschirner and Carolin Kebekus launched the campaign with the Amadeu Antonio Foundation after the accusations against Lindemann became known.
But we have been working on this concept for a long time, said Tilda co-founder Ruth Meding. Thanks to the donation campaign, we now have the initial capital necessary to make the funds available to those affected “quickly and without bureaucracy.” The Tilda Fund is also intended to serve counseling centers that can offer financial support to those affected. This is often not covered by state benefits or there are high obstacles to obtaining them, says Jasmina Kuhnke, one of the promoters.
The Amadeu Antonio Foundation was responsible for the original fundraising campaign. In total 826,000 euros were raised. The fund is managed by StattBlumen gUG, a non-profit organization that cooperates with the Federal Association of Women's Counseling and Emergency Call Centers for Women (bff). The two organizations have developed common guidelines to guide the distribution of funds. Katharina Göpner, CEO of BFF, explains that, according to studies, “at least one in seven women in Germany suffers from criminal sexual violence.” According to a current undisclosed investigation by the Federal Criminal Police Office, this is only reported in one percent of cases. Göpner stressed: The fact that the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office suspends the proceedings against Till Lindemann does not mean that there are no people affected.
An association that could access this fund is LARA, Association against Sexual Violence against Women, Trans, Inter and Non-Binary People. “We will probably use this fund for clients who need money in the short term, for moving expenses or for direct support in dangerous situations,” says Friederike Strack from LARA.