"Don’t let yourself be knocked out" - The Oberberg Network no - against violence offers information and tips Distribution points for free drink protection covers

Press release from the Oberberg Network no - against violence

Oberbergischer Kreis. A cheerful Fastelovend is the highlight of the year for many carnival enthusiasts. However, carnival can turn into a nightmare due to knockout drops and sexualized violence.

The Oberberg Network no - against violence warns about knockout drops and related sexual assaults and provides the following tips:

Additional protection through drink covers

The Oberberg Network no - against violence gives away protective covers for drinks (bottles and glasses) during carnival events.

The reusable drink protection covers made of high-quality silicone rubber offer additional protection for your open drinks – whether at home, on the go, or at events.

The protective covers are available for free on Women’s Carnival Day (Thursday, 12.02.2026) while supplies last at the following distribution points:

Carnival event of the Oberbergischer Kreis
Carnival event of the city of Gummersbach
Town hall storm of the city of Bergneustadt
Town hall storm of the city of Radevormwald
Town hall storm of the city of Wipperfürth
Soup kitchen of the youth center at the bus station in Wipperfürth
Youth center in Marienheide
Gaststätte Baumhof in Gummersbach
Kasper’s Bistro at the sports park in Nümbrecht

Important note: The use of the covers increases safety but does not provide complete protection. Please remain vigilant! No liability or guarantee in case of misuse or manipulation.

Trust your gut feeling:

- Unsure about a drink? Leave it and don’t drink it!

- Never leave drinks unattended.

- Use protective covers for drinks.

- Do not accept drinks from strangers.

- It’s best to order for yourself.

- Seek help if you feel unwell.

- Look out for others and help each other!

Important: Anyone affected by knockout drops is never to blame. The blame always and exclusively lies with the perpetrators.

Das Netzwerk Oberberg no - gegen Gewalt informiert über Schutzmaßnahmen gegen K.o.-Tropfen. (Foto: OBK) — The Oberberg Network no - against violence provides information on protective measures against knockout drops. (Photo: OBK)

Help and advice for victims of sexualized violence

If you have become a victim of sexualized violence, you should definitely seek medical care. Many of those affected consider whether to file a complaint, but most of them are traumatized after sexualized violence and unable to make a decision in the short term.

If you are still unsure whether you want to file a report immediately after the incident, ask the doctor to contact the police or contact the police yourself.

"If you want to keep the decision open, ask the doctor for anonymous evidence preservation. The evidence is stored anonymously with a cipher number at the Institute of Forensic Medicine. The police will not be informed of this, as otherwise they would have to initiate investigations.
So you have time to calmly decide whether you want to report the perpetrator: In the Oberberg district, there is the possibility of Anonymous Evidence Preservation (ASS) after sexualized violence. The Klinikum Oberberg and the Helios Clinic Wipperfürth offer this procedure," says the Equal Opportunities Officer of the Oberberg district, Magdalena Tertel.

Please make sure to inform them if you do not wish to file a complaint. After that, the procedure for anonymous evidence preservation can be initiated.
Affected women can be examined by trained doctors and have up to 5 years afterwards to decide on pressing charges. It is important that possible evidence is secured immediately after the incident.

Further information at www.obk.de/ass.

If photos for download are provided exclusively for media representatives/press, all usage rights (cf. §§ 31 ff. UrhG) according to § 43 UrhG lie with the Oberbergischer Kreis. For reporting purposes, the media are granted a simple usage right according to § 31 Abs. 2 UrhG. When publishing, the image rights specified in the press release must be cited (corresponds to IPTC field no. 110). The additional mention of a natural person as the author according to § 13 sentence 2 UrhG is waived, as this regulation is overridden by the application of § 43 UrhG.