Welcome!

This website provides information about the Women’s Counselling Centre in easy language.
The website is from the Women’s Counselling Service in Bielefeld.
The Women’s Counselling Service helps women with problems. Especially with domestic violence.

What is domestic violence?

Domestic violence means:
Someone hurts a woman.
And: The violence happens at home or in the family.
Domestic violence includes for example:

• The partner threatens the woman.
• The father hits the woman.
• The caregiver insults the woman.
• The boyfriend forces the woman to have sex.
• The mother shouts at the woman.
• The brother stalks the woman.
• The female partner controls the woman.
• The flatmate locks the woman in.

Domestic violence is forbidden!

Nobody is allowed to do these things to a woman.
Not even if someone says:

• that it is okay
• that the woman is to blame herself
• that the woman deserves it.

None of this is true!
Domestic violence is forbidden.
You are not to blame
if it happens to you.

Domestic violence makes you ill

Violence changes a woman.
For example:
The woman feels afraid.
The woman feels alone.
The woman feels sad.
The woman has terrible dreams.
The woman is in pain.
For example:

• Headaches
• or stomach aches.

Domestic violence can cause other problems too:

• Problems at work or in training
• Problems with children
• Problems in relationships with a new partner

There is help!

Women can get help.
You are not alone with the violence.
You can talk to someone.
For example a friend or a colleague.
Or a caregiver or counsellor.
In Bielefeld there is a counselling centre for women:
It is called Psychologische Frauenberatung e.V.
You can talk to us.
We will listen.
We will not tell anyone.
We will help you.
We will protect you.
Only women come to us.
Counselling is free of charge.
You can call us.
Our phone number is: 0521 12 15 97
We are available:
Monday and Thursday from 4 pm to 7 pm and
Tuesday and Friday from 10 am to 1 pm.
You can also write us an email.
The email address is: info@frauenberatung-bielefeld.de
Another option:
You can call the
helpline for violence against women around the clock.
The phone number is: 0800 11 60 16

In an emergency!

Call the police!
The phone number is: 110
Say that you need help immediately.
Tell the police your address.
The police will come to you.
The police will protect you.

Finding safety

If you are in danger you can leave your home.
And stay in a safe place.
The place is called a women’s shelter.
In Bielefeld there are two women’s shelters:
Frauen helfen Frauen – Frauenhaus e.V.
Phone number: 0521 17 73 76
or
AWO Frauenhaus Bielefeld
Phone number: 0521 521 36 36

More information

On this website you can find more information about domestic violence in easy language.
The website explains for example:

• Different forms of violence
• Violence against women and girls with disabilities
• Consequences of violence
• Who are the perpetrators?
• What can be done to prevent violence from happening in the first place?