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What To Do If You Are Facing Family Violence

What can I do if I am facing family violence?

If you are facing family violence, you have several options for help that may depend on the nature of the emergency and the level of violence:

  • Calling for help
  • Getting medical attention
  • Reporting to the Police
  • Seeking counselling
  • Seeking shelter in a crisis shelter
  • Seeking legal protection

Calling for Help

You can call on the following numbers for immediate advice/ help:

  • Police – 999
  • AWARE Helpline – 1800-774-5936 (Monday – Friday, 3 pm– 9.30 pm)

Getting Medical Attention

  • In case of serious physical injury, see a medical doctor as soon as possible.
  • Tell the doctor the true cause of your injuries; do not cover up by saying that you had a fall or that you had an accident.
  • All medical reports are confidential.
  • Even if you are not seriously injured, it is useful to go to a doctor. If you apply for a Protection Order, you will have to ask the doctor to write a medical report for the court.
  • Keep your medical receipt as evidence.

Reporting to the Police

  • Even if you do not intend to go ahead with legal proceedings for the moment, you should still make a police report. This may be helpful when you decide to apply for legal protection.
  • Go to any police service counter, including neighbourhood police posts, to do this.
  • Keep a copy of the police report for future reference.

Seeking Counselling

  • See a counsellor for emotional support. The counsellor can help you to think through your situation.
  • You may want to contact the following organisations to arrange counselling:

    • AWARE
    • Family Service Centres (FSCs): There are 35 FSCs in Singapore
      Call ComCare on 1800 222 0000 to connect to nearest centre
  • The following two Family Service Centres specialise in counselling related to family violence:

    • Promoting Alternatives to Violence (PAVe)
    • TRANS Centre (SAFE Programme – Stop Abuse in Families)

Seeking Shelter in a Crisis Shelter

  • This should be your last option when there is no friend that you can turn to.
  • To get admission in a Crisis Shelter, you need a referral from:

      o Police
      o Any Family Service Center / AWARE/ hospital social workers
  • Generally, the maximum period of stay in a crisis shelter home is three months.

Seeking Legal Protection

The following parties can apply for a Protection Order if they are facing family violence

    a) spouse or former spouse
    b) a child, including adopted and step children
    c) father, mother, in-laws or siblings of the offender
    d) any other relative or a person who is unable to look after himself or herself, who in the opinion of the court should be regarded as a member

Protection Orders are not available to protect parties in non-marital intimate relationships. See the section on Penal Code Offences.

Click on these links for more information

• Dealing with family violence
• What is family violence?
• Getting a Personal Protection Order (PPO)
• Making a Safety Plan
• How to help a friend/relative/neighbour facing family violence