Supporting people affected by domestic violence in Switzerland – Violence Que Faire

Violence Que Faire is an association that works to prevent domestic violence in French-speaking Switzerland.

Every day it receives requests for advice from people facing violent situations. “In Switzerland, every month, two women are killed because of domestic violence,” says Marion Labeaut, coordinator at Violence Que Faire (VQF).

VQF offers an anonymous, online, free-of-charge, personalised service to people in situations of domestic violence, whether victims or perpetrators. Information on its website is available in 13 languages and online support is provided in French, German and English.

“Types of questions that we usually receive are things like, ‘is it violence that I am experiencing with my partner? What can I do?’” says Marion.  “They are asking for concrete solutions, like, where to go to get help?” Typically they also want to know if it is their fault that the perpetrator is acting violent, and whether or not it is possible for him or her to change.

Michéle Gigandet, president of VQF, hopes that abuse can be replaced by respect. She explains how respect is something that we can learn about at any age, or at any stage of our lives and that we can teach to others.

“So the perpetrator of violence learns to respect the other, and the victim of violence learns to respect him or herself.”

– Michéle Gigandet, president of Violence Que Faire.

Michéle’s dream is that, “everyone, at his or her level, every day, at work and in relationships,” can learn to find alternatives to violence.

This grant fits within Oak’s Issues Affecting Women Programme’s portfolio, which prioritises supporting organisations that address physical, psychological and sexual violence against women. This includes: in the home (domestic violence); at work and in migration (trafficking and exploitation); and in situations of crisis.

Find out more about Violence Que Faire here.