Help yourself. Help someone else.
What exactly is domestic violence?
Are you being beaten? Are you suffering verbal abuse? Are you forbidden to do certain things? Are you being threatened or stalked? Are you forced to have sex against your will or to hand over your money? And is your partner or ex responsible for this? Or is it one of your children, a family member, or a friend (of the family)? Then you are a victim of domestic violence. Perhaps you think that it is your own fault. You are uncertain or ashamed that this is happening to you. Domestic violence cannot and must not be tolerated. It is a punishable offence. You have the right to stand up for yourself. So call 0900 - 126 26 26 (calls cost five cents per minute).
How do you recognise domestic violence?
Someone who commits domestic violence often displays the following behaviour.
He or she…
- is easily jealous
- is aggressive first and then really loving again
- treats you as if he/she owns you
- destroys things in the home
- keeps promising that it won’t happen again
- hits you, or says that he/she wants to hit you
- forces you do things that you do not want to do, including sexual
- humiliates you in front of other people
- threatens you about money
- wants you to know in all kinds of ways that he or she is the boss
- always wants to know where you are and what you are doing
Why call us?
The staff at Steunpunt Huiselijk Geweld (Support Office for Domestic Violence) are experienced counsellors who fully understand your situation. They can give you advice and put you in contact with social workers in the area that can best help you in your situation. When you call us, we ask you to key in your postal code. This way you are automatically connected to the support office in your area. If you are in immediate danger, do not hesitate to ring 112.
Safe calling
You can call us safely. The 0900 number is a protected number and so it will not appear on your telephone bill. Therefore, no one will know that you called us. However, do make sure that you delete the last number called from the memory of your (mobile) phone. If you do not know how to do this then place the call from a phone booth or from a friend’s phone.
What happens when you call?
We are here to help you as best as we possibly can. We can put you in touch with social workers in your area, and if you want us to we will contact the police.
You do not have to give your name
What you tell us remains private and confidential for as long as you want. If you want us to take action, we will need your consent in order to pass information on to other social workers and the police.
You will be given advice
We can make a good assessment of your situation and how best to handle it. A little advice can often go a long way.
Or we look for assistance
If you want, we can look up social workers in your area who can find a solution. Or, if necessary, we can help you to make a plan for your own safety and any children in your household. Because safety is always the most important thing.
Please also read the information on www.steunpunthuiselijkgeweld.nl.
The Steunpunt Huiselijk Geweld also has a website. Here you can read about others who have been in a similar situation to yours. You can also share your experiences in the ‘forum’ section and quickly locate a support office in your area. The website also provides information for anyone who is a witness to domestic violence as well as offenders who are looking for help.
