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If you think you are in a life-threatening relationship, call 112 or 0800 500 333 the national number 24 hours a day, free of charge.
We offer psychological counseling services to victims of domestic violence, women and children who witness violence, to help them regain control over their lives. We provide information services by phone, email or face to face, under the guidance of a psychologist. Contact us for details by phone +40 753 893 531, Monday to Friday, from 10:00 to 17:00, or by email at contact@aleg-romania.eu
What happens after you contact a specialist? Our psychologists are specialized in domestic violence intervention. Together, you will be able to assess whether you are at risk or not. They will provide a primary counseling session, after which you can agree on an intervention plan – participation in psychological counseling sessions, access to support groups, legal counseling, access to the #ȘiEuReușesc survivors network (Facebook group of support), you can be added to databases for future events, job identification, etc. Each discussion is confidential.
Domestic violence, also known as intimate partner violence, is a pattern of behavior used by one partner in order to gain power and control over the other partner with whom he or she is in a relationship. Any person, of any age, religion, professional status, education or gender can at any time be a victim or aggressor. Such situations can happen between people who are married, living together, or just dating.
Slapping, hitting, shoving, strangling, kidnapping, use of physical force to hurt you, etc.
Harassment, following, isolation, ridicule, belittle, control (the way you dress/who you see), blackmail, etc.
Sexual acts forced upon you, without your consent: advances, verbal allusions, gestures, touches (usually, repeated and non-reciprocal) Rape is one of the most serious forms of sexual abuse.
Controlling your income, forbidding you from working, excluding you from money-related decisions, etc.
It is manifested by isolation from family, friends, community.
Raising one’s voice, lying, threatening, accusing, criticizing, etc.
Controlling social media accounts or banning online interaction, threats to post personal information on the internet.
Using faith and religious customs to manipulate, dominate, control.
Every individual reacts to domestic violence differently: some decide to leave the relationship immediately after the first episode of violence, others stay in the situation, or leave the perpetrator, then go back to him several times. Walker (1979) explains this phenomenon through the cycle of violence, which comprises four phases:
Immediately call 112. This is the first step towards saving the victim’s life. It doesn’t matter whether you know the victim or not. If you can, accompany her to get first aid or testify for her in court. You may be the only one who can attest to what happened.
Don’t ask when her relationship became violent. Listen empathetically and openly and only offer to help if you are asked to. Don’t make assumptions and offer your unconditional support. Don’t push the victim to make any decisions. We all have our own rhythm and mechanisms when facing difficult situations.
Seek real support when you let your partner know you want to leave. This is one of the most dangerous moments, and it is recommended to happen in the presence of relatives, to receive, if necessary, protection. Use the services of a counseling center or other specialized services (eg support group, shelter, etc.). Find out about the protection order, which forces the aggressor to keep a distance from you.
Establish a code for danger through which to let neighbours or friends to take action in case of danger, and to call the police.
Ask people close to you for support. To stay safe, you may have to move to a place where your former partner can’t find you. If you have children, you may have to transfer them to another school.
Prepare a safety luggage with clothes, money, official documents (ID, birth certificate, driving licence, credit card, etc.), back up house/car keys, documents attesting the violence (pictures, recordings, forensic medicine certificates etc.). . For further details, click here.
The protection order is a court order instating urgent measures to protect you and your children. For example, one measure is to oblige the perpetrator to keep a minimum distance from you and your children, or from your and your children’s house, work place or school.
Fill in a standard form, and submit it to the Court in whose jurisdiction you live. The form can be submitted personally or, with your consent, by a prosecutor or a social services worker dealing with domestic violence. There are no costs, as the form is exempt from stamp duties.
The moment a woman realizes that she is in an abusive relationship and decides to leave, often the first concern that arises is the financial one. Economic abuse subtly manifests itself at first and then progresses over time by controlling income, banning employment, being excluded from money decisions, and so on. To help you, we’ve released a financial education guide. Get in contact with a specialist for further details at contact@aleg-romania.eu
If you own a company or are employed, persuade your team to get involved in finding safe jobs for women, or find out how you can help someone close to you. Write us a message to find out more details.