What can I do?You must protect yourself! You matter!
Adults have the duty to protect you from danger. That’s their job. If they can’t or don’t want to, then you must do something yourself.
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Example 1: Your father hits your mother and you want him to stop. What to do?
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- Don’t try to intervene but let others put an end to the violent situation
- Call the police
- Leave the apartment, go to a neighbour, a friend or a relative and call the police from there
- Ask other adults for help
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Example 2: Your mother and her boyfriend argue a lot. Your little sister cries, they shout at you to keep out of it, otherwise you’ll be for it. What to do?
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- If you’re afraid of being hit or of having to watch others being hit, you don’t have to put up with it
- You can get help
- You can leave the apartment and go to a safe place
- You can call an advice centre and ask someone to speak to and/or visit your mother and her boyfriend
- If you can leave the apartment but are worried about your little sister, you can call the children’s emergency service and ask them to look after her
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Example 3: You have long suffered from the fact that your parents are super-strict. They allow you to go to school, but otherwise you have to stay home. You don’t have a mobile phone or Internet access and you have to ask permission to use the phone. What to do?
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- Make use of the time while you’re in school
- Talk to your teacher or the school social worker; they will support you and ensure that you are safe
- If you’re afraid of being picked up after school, you can ask to be picked up by the children’s or juvenile emergency service
