"My home is my castle" – a phrase that doesn't suit all families…
As children, we often heard the phrase "My home is my castle," but as adults, we are not always able to say the same about our own.
Sadly, being around those who seem closest to us can sometimes be unsafe. Every day, hundreds of people become victims of domestic violence.
Domestic violence is one of the most acute and tragic problems of modern society.
Domestic violence is the most common form of gender-based violence, and a significant number of cases go unreported, as many women are either inclined to tolerate its manifestations or prefer to seek solutions without filing official reports. In this regard, most offenders go unpunished.
Often, family members are not prepared and do not want to "air their dirty laundry," fearing their abuser, which can later lead to more severe consequences, such as murder or grievous bodily harm. Neighbours often simply "mind their own business." One way or another, a family quarrel can end in a serious crime with irreversible consequences!
If your relative causes scandals at your place of residence and resorts to physical violence, do not tolerate it and do not wait for it to stop on its own.
If you witness domestic violence or are yourself a victim of domestic violence, you are strongly urged to report it by calling 102 or to contact your local police inspector, who receives citizens at public law enforcement points every Wednesday.
- from 10:00 to 13:00 - in rural settlements - from 17:00 to 20:00 - in cities
Information about the district police officer serving your administrative district can be found here: https://mvd.gov.by/m/ru/policeman
Stop domestic tyrants! Protective measures introduced in Belarus for a month
If a person is subjected to domestic violence, they can now officially limit contact with the aggressor.
One of the effective mechanisms is a protective order, which prohibits the tyrant from approaching, calling, writing to, or living near the victim.
To obtain a protective order, a written application is required. The term is up to 15 days, but can be extended to 30 days. Violation results in a fine of up to 420 rubles, community service, or administrative arrest.
Such measures are applicable not only to husbands but also to former partners and other relatives if they commit violence.
This is an important step towards protecting those who suffer from pressure, threats, and aggression within the family.
Domestic violence means intentional unlawful or immoral acts of a physical, psychological, or sexual nature committed by close relatives, former spouses, citizens with a common child (children), or other citizens who live (lived) together and maintain (maintained) a common household, towards each other, causing physical and (or) mental suffering;
A victim of domestic violence is a citizen who has suffered physical and (or) mental suffering as a result of domestic violence (Article 1 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On the Fundamentals of Crime Prevention Activities").
Territorial centres for social services for the population (hereinafter referred to as TCSS) of the Vitebsk region provide free advisory and information, socio-pedagogical, socio-psychological, and social mediation services, material assistance, social patronage services, and temporary shelter to victims of domestic violence.
Social service means actions to provide assistance to a citizen in order to facilitate the prevention, overcoming of difficult life situations and (or) adaptation to them (Article 1 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On Social Services");
advisory and information services mean informing about the conditions and procedure for organising and providing social services, providing assistance in оформлении and requesting documents necessary for exercising the right to forms and types of social support established by law (Article 30 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On Social Services");
material assistance means the provision of funds, food products, sanitary and hygienic items, care products, clothing, footwear, and other essential goods, fuel;
socio-pedagogical services mean actions aimed at the socialisation of citizens of various age and social groups, organising their leisure time in order to acquire social orientation and generally accepted norms of behaviour;
social mediation services - facilitating the establishment and expansion of connections between citizens receiving social services and state bodies (organizations), as well as providing services for representing the interests of citizens receiving social services in the established manner;
social psychological services - assisting citizens in preventing and resolving psychological problems, overcoming their consequences, including by activating citizens' own capabilities, and creating the necessary conditions for this;
social patronage - activities to support citizens in difficult life situations, aimed at overcoming them, restoring normal life activities, mobilizing and realizing citizens' own potential for personal and social growth.
In each region and city, a "crisis" room is in operation. A citizen (family) who has suffered from violence can contact the Territorial Center for Social Services of the Population and receive temporary shelter from several hours to a long period of time, both during the day and at night, in another region (regardless of the place of registration and residence).
A "crisis" room is a specially equipped separate room, furnished according to the conditions of the respective settlement, for providing temporary shelter to persons in a crisis state, if necessary.
During the stay of citizens in the "crisis" room, domestic and other living conditions are determined on a self-service basis.
Addresses and telephone numbers for inquiries regarding temporary shelter in a "crisis" room
Beshankovichy District Territorial Center for Social Services of the Population - Svobody St., Bldg. 42a, Tel. 8-02131 6-63-96, 8-02131 6-40-36
Braslav District Territorial Center for Social Services of the Population - K. Liebknecht St., Bldg. 6, Tel. 8-02153 6-24-67, 8-02153 6-22-02
Verkhnedvinsk District Territorial Center for Social Services of the Population - Leningradskaya St., Bldg. 71, Tel. 8-02151 6-31-70, 8-033 349-28-92
Vitebsk District Territorial Center for Social Services of the Population - Komsomolskaya St., Bldg. 16, Tel. 8-0212 26-72-87, 8-029 701-01-12
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Gluboksky District – 91 Minskaya St., tel. 8-02156 3-72-88, 8-029 848-42-16
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Gorodoksky District - 8a Vorovskogo St., tel. 8-02139 5-45-13, 8-02139 5-10-02
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Dokshitsky District – 17 Shkolnaya St., tel. 8-02157 5-99-13, 8-029 836-90-03
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Dubrovensky District 7A Lopankova St., tel. 8-02137 5-28-01, 8-02137 5-10-41
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Lepelsky District - 35 Sovetskaya St., tel. 8-02132 3-49-41, 8-02132 6-62-60
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Lioznensky District - 59 Lenina St., tel. 8-02138 5-52-18, 8-02138 5-57-30, 5-52-18
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Miorsky District - 36-2 Kommunisticheskaya St., tel. 8-02152 5-28-32, 8-02152 5-73-53
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Orshansky District - 43 Lenina St., tel. 8-0216 51-03-91, 8-0216 51-83-77
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Polotsky District - 12 F. Skoriny St., tel. 8-0214 46-17-95, 8-0214 46-32-02
Postavy Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population – 3 Sovetskaya St., tel. 8-02155 2-50-02, 8-029 325-74-02
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Rossony District - 19a Lapenko St., tel. 8-02159 5-04-74, 8-02159 5-76-05
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Senno District - 6 Sovetskaya St., tel. 8-02135 5-34-97, 8-02135 5-19-44
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Tolochinsky District - 18 Engels St., tel. 8-02136 2-35-99, 8-02136 2-11-06
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Ushachy District - 12 Leninskaya St., tel. 8-02158 5-99-73, 8-029 599-48-02
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Chashniksky District - 32 Sovetskaya St., tel. 8-02133 3-35-20, 8-02133 6-97-02
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Population of Sharkovshchinsky District - 12 17th September St., tel. 8-02154 6-92-59, 8-02154 6-92-59
Territorial Centre for Social Services of Shumilino District - Yubileynaya St., 8, tel. 8-02130 5-71-98, 8-02130 5-88-22
Novopolotsk Territorial Centre for Social Services - Parkovaya St., 8, tel. 8-0214 52-34-54, 8-029 598-40-05
Territorial Centre for Social Services of Zheleznodorozhny District of Vitebsk - Kosmonavtov St., 5a, tel. 8-0212 67-92-79, 8-0212 67-86-02
Territorial Centre for Social Services of Oktyabrsky District of Vitebsk - Smolenskaya St., 9, tel. 8-0212 63-20-00, 8-0212 48-00-10
Territorial Centre for Social Services of Pervomaysky District of Vitebsk - 1st Proletarskaya St., 20, tel. 8-0212 37-20-17, 8-0212 37-61-02
WHERE CAN YOU SEEK HELP IF YOU ARE SUFFERING FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?
The staff of the Territorial Centres for Social Services include psychologists and social workers who can help you understand your situation, and if necessary, refer you to the appropriate institutions by calling the "Helpline" ("hotline"):
Beshenkovichi District TCSS – 8 (02131) 6-63-96
Braslav District TCSS – 8 (02153) 6-31-36
Verkhnedvinsk District TCSS – 8 (02151) 5-29-15
Vitebsk District TCSS – 8 (0212) 69-04-77
Glubokoe District TCSS – 8 (02156) 3-08-74, 3-08-61
Gorodok District TCSS – 8 (02139) 5-45-13
Dokshitsy District TCSS – 8 (02157) 5-20-51
Dubrovno District TCSS – 8 (02137) 5-28-01
Lepel District TCSS – 8 (02132) 3-49-20
Liozno District TCSS – 8 (02138) 5 67 83, 5-29-62
Miory District TCSS – 8 (02152) 5-27-44
Orsha District TCSS – 8 (0216) 54-03-48
Polotsk District TCSS – 8 (0214) 46-17-95
Postavy TCSS – 8 (02155) 2-40-67
Rossony District TCSS – 8 (02159) 5-26-72
Senno District TCSS – 8 (02135) 5-26-33
Tolochin District TCSS – 8 (02136) 5-00-17
Ushachi District TCSS – 8 (02158) 5-00-34
Chashniki District TCSS – 8 (02133) 6-22-53
Sharkovshchina District TCSS – 8 (02154) 6-20-40
Shumilino District TCSS – 8 (02130) 5-71-98
Novopolotsk Territorial Centre for Social Services – 8 (0214) 52-34-54
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Zheleznodorozhny District of Vitebsk – 8 (0212) 67-92-83, 67-91-06
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Oktyabrsky District of Vitebsk – 8 (0212) 63-20-00
Territorial Centre for Social Services of the Pervomaisky District of Vitebsk – 8 (0212) 37-20-17
Public and Religious Organisations:
- PUBLIC ASSOCIATION "BELARUSIAN YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION" NOVOPOLOTSK
Types of Services:
psychological assistance
8 (029) 517 27 94
(from 15:00 to 18:00, except Saturdays and Sundays)
- PUBLIC ASSOCIATION "BELARUSIAN YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION"
Types of Services:
information and emotional support;
social support;
legal assistance;
psychological assistance (to victims and aggressors)
8 (033) 6 032 032
(working hours from 9:00 to 18:00, closed on Saturdays and Sundays)
- SISTERHOOD IN HONOUR OF ST. EUPHRASINIA OF POLOTSK
Types of Services:
social assistance (provision of temporary shelter);
