Description
A shelter is a residential facility that provides short-term accommodation for victims of domestic violence in a crisis situation. People admitted at the centre can stay for a period of between two weeks and six months, depending on their circumstances.
What is domestic violence?
Domestic violence occurs when a person with whom you have a domestic relationship:
- abuse you physically or sexually (e.g. commits an assault or rape)
- abuse you verbally, emotionally or psychologically (e.g. subjects you to repeated verbal insults, threats or repeated excessive jealousy)
- abuse you economically or financially (e.g. your husband or partner refuses to pay for food, school fees, etc., or insists on making all the decisions about money)
- harasses you (e.g. repeatedly makes annoying phone calls to you, sends letters or objects to you or watches your movements)
- intimidates you (e.g. threatens to harm or kill you if you report to the police)
- damages your property (e.g. burns your clothes, breaks the furniture, slashes your car tyres)
- enters your property without your consent or
- behaves in any other abusive or controlling manner that causes harm, or may cause harm to your safety, health or well-being.
If these forms of abuse are happening to you or to anyone you know, you can apply for a protection order or be admitted into a shelter for victims of domestic violence.