Toward the end of the day, Coline Dubois, a welfare educator at Solidarité Femmes et Refuge pour Femmes Battues in La Louvière, answers a distress call from a woman physically and psychologically abused by her husband, who had taken refuge with a friend for the past few days. The shelter will not be able to accommodate her tonight, as all its beds are full.
Hotlines regularly give out the shelter’s telephone number to the women who contact them. This number is staffed 24/7. Most of the association’s personnel have been trained to take and appropriately respond to these calls. According to Coline Dubois, what is most important in this type of call is “to be attentive and really listen to the caller. There is no point in trying to force their hand or in telling them what they must do. Just being there for them is already a good start. Along with their knowing that they can contact us any time, should they need to. Of course, depending on the situations they describe, we often want to get them to a safe place and so we offer them accommodation at the shelter.”
December 10, 2010 – La Louvière – Belgium.
© Pierre-Yves GINET