Women`s Shelters

has currently ten women`s shelters which provide women victims of domestic violence and their children

- a safe, confidential space for healing and recovery after being abused or during times of fear

- temporary accommodation if needed

-  psychological counselling and emergency assistance

- assistance in dealing with appropriate agencies like the police, social services departments, etc

-  information on handling legal matters like court processes, divorce and child protection issues, etc;  and if need be, and also legal consultations

- support in setting up a new life

- possibility to return to the shelter whenever needed to discuss next steps to be taken

To contact the shelters, phone 24 hours a day, except for Tallinn Women`s Shelter. We encourage you to phone the shelter not only in case you need emergency accommodation but also just to seek advice. You can agree on accommodation options on the phone since the shelters are housed at undisclosed locations to ensure confidentiality and security.

All shelters set up in Estonia are voluntary initiatives. The history of opening the shelters:

2002 Tartu

2005 Tallinn

2006  Ida-Viru County

2007  Laane-Viru County

2008  Viljandi County, Jarva County, Valga County

2009  Rapla County, Parnu County

2010  Voru County

The shelters` activities have been financed by the Ministry of Social Affairs using the Gambling Tax Council`s funding.

In 2006, Tartu and Ida-Viru County women`s shelters established the Estonian Women`s Shelters Union. The Union seeks to raise public awareness of domestic violence, to provide relevant education and training,  and to establish additional shelters across the country so that battered women and their children could access shelter`s services in each of the fifteen counties in Estonia. This not being the case yet, women across Estonia can,  to access emergency assistance,  call the national Hotline launched in 2008.

DON`T STAY ALONE, SEEK HELP!