Making sure your electronic devices and online accounts are not being monitored
During the relationship and after you break up, your partner or ex-partner may try to monitor your…
In an emergency, call 17 for the police or 112 for emergency medical services.
Their role is to provide assistance to everyone, regardless of their situation, even those without valid right of residence.
Verified by Charlotte Huntz, Police Commissioner, on 10/11/2023
The role of the police in France is to intervene to protect you if you are in danger.
There are two police services in France and their role is the same concerning domestic abuse:
Police officers or “Policiers” and “gendarmes” have an obligation to respect human rights without any discrimination, even if you don't have valid residency rights.
You have different options to contact the police and ask them for help.
Depending on the location of your call, you will be put in contact with a police station.
You can talk to the police online via chat. This service is available in many languages.
When you call the police, try to stay calm despite the emergency, and express yourself clearly.
You can make it easier and quicker for them to handle your call by specifying:
Listen carefully to their advice on what to do while waiting for the emergency services to arrive.
If you need emergency medical care, for example in the event of an injury, you can call the emergency medical services, even if you do not have valid residency rights.
There are two services that can intervene in the event of a medical emergency in France:
In the event of a life-threatening emergency, you do not need to be registered for state health insurance or have valid residency rights to be treate
You have different options to contact the emergency medical services and ask them for help.
If you do not speak French, an interpreter will be assigned to your call.
When you call emergency medical services, try to stay calm despite the emergency, and express yourself clearly.
You can make it easier and quicker for them to handle your call by specifying:
Listen carefully to the advice you are given on what to do while waiting for the emergency services to arrive.
If you do not speak French, an interpreter will be assigned to your call. They will translate your conversation.
When the emergency services arrive on site, there are solutions to communicate with them, such as using a voice translation application.
If you have called the police due to domestic abuse, you can show them this letter.
In France, police officers or "policiers” and “gendarmes” have an obligation to respect human rights without discrimination, even if you do not have valid residency rights.
If you are ever treated disrespectfully and/or discriminated against, there are ways to report a violation of the law committed by "policiers" or "gendarmes".
You can report a violation of the law:
In the event of danger, you have the right to ask for assistance from the police, even if you do not have valid residency rights.
The "policiers" and "gendarmes" do not have the right to hold you in custody when they are intervening for your safety or if you contact them to report an incident you have experienced.
If you have called the police due to domestic abuse, please show them this letter as a reminder that they cannot detain you.
In France, there are many services that can support you, give you advice, and assist you with procedures and paperwork. Most of them are free of charge.
This telephone counselling service is intended for people facing all types of violence and those who support them.
“Associations” are organisations that offer a range of services.
While the utmost care has gone into providing you with the most accurate and up to date information, this page is not intended to replace legal or professional advice. Laws and procedures change regularly so it is important to consult qualified professionals.
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