Get help for violence against women and domestic violence: Support service
Are you a victim of violence or worried about someone affected by violence? Various contact points can support you in this difficult situation.
Contacts and support services for people affected by violence
In an emergency
- Police: Phone 117 or go to the police website
- Medical assistance: Phone 144
Support
- Victim Support Switzerland offers free, confidential and anonymous advice for all victims and those around them in all cantons.
- The Service against Forced Marriages offers confidential advice in cases of forced marriages, prohibitions to love, or pressures related to the choice of a partner.
- The Network against female genital cutting Switzerland offers confidential advice for individuals affected by or at risk of female genital mutilation.
Shelters
Addresses of shelters for women and their children, for young people and for men can be found at:
- Victim Support Switzerland [externer Link Opferhilfe] or
- Umbrella organisation of women’s shelters in Switzerland and Liechtenstein (DAO).
Support services for perpetrators of violence
Are you sometimes violent yourself and looking for a way to end this behaviour? You can get help from cantonal support services and learning programmes against violence.
- At Fachverband Gewaltberatung Schweiz, you will find a compilation of all specialist offices in the cantons.
- For cases of violence related to the use of substances and alcohol, Fachverband Sucht offers an overview of support and therapy services.
Domestic violence
Domestic violence is a widespread problem in Switzerland that causes great suffering. Every year, an average of 25 people die as a result of domestic violence, with the majority of those killed being women.