Key points in 30 seconds
- Immediate danger: 17 / 112, or SMS 114 with your exact address.
- From safety contact 3919; if you have nowhere to sleep, call 115 and mention children.
- Plan departure with a support centre; do not delay for documents.
The procedure at a glance
Who to call
17 / 112: police and emergency services for immediate danger. SMS 114: give your name, exact address and what is happening if you cannot speak. 3919: free anonymous support and referral for women, 24/7; not an emergency number. 115: emergency accommodation via Samu social; explain violence and children. Placement depends on assessment and availability, not a guarantee.
Advice from the association
Don't leave this procedure to the last minute — come and see us.
Plan a safe departure
Do not tell the abuser about plans if it increases risk. With 3919 or a specialist centre, plan timing, transport, a trusted person and a code signal. Leave without your folder if danger is immediate. Use a safe device; get help checking shared accounts and location tracking without risky changes. Quick exit does not erase history, downloads or call records. Documents can be replaced.
Common mistake
3919 is not emergency dispatch: use 17 / 112 or SMS 114 in danger.
protection order
Neither marriage nor a prior police complaint is required. The family judge assesses plausible violence and current danger to you or children. File 15458 with evidence at the tribunal judiciaire. The hearing takes place within 6 days of the date being set, not automatically 6 days after filing. The judge may ban contact or entry to certain places, require the abuser to leave the home, give the victim use of the home and decide measures for children. Measures depend on the decision. Ask about keeping your address confidential. In serious imminent danger the prosecutor, with your consent, may seek an immediate provisional protection order; the judge decides within 24 hours of being seized.
Common mistake
Do not disclose your safe address to the abuser. Discuss address protection with a lawyer.
Medical certificate, and evidence
See a doctor or hospital promptly and ask for a certificate documenting injuries and psychological effects. A can conduct a specialised assessment; check access, sometimes through police referral. measures impairment of everyday activities, not just sick leave from a job. No or visible injury is needed to file a complaint. Keep messages, photos, witness statements and a timeline securely without risking your safety.
Common mistake
Do not delay leaving to gather evidence or documents.
Complaint and emergency folder
Ask to file a at police or gendarmerie and keep the receipt and statement copy. A records information but is not equivalent to a complaint seeking investigation; violence may nevertheless be referred to the prosecutor. Prepare a folder and small bag only if safe, perhaps with a trusted person. Do not leave the folder where the abuser can find it. A prior complaint is not required for the protection order.
Step by step
- 1Immediate danger: 17 / 112, or SMS 114 with your exact address.
- 2From safety contact 3919; if you have nowhere to sleep, call 115 and mention children.
- 3Plan departure with a support centre; do not delay for documents.
- 4See a doctor and keep evidence safely.
- 5File a complaint and ask or a lawyer to help apply to .
Refused or missed a deadline: what to do
Appeal deadlines run from the day you receive the decision — keep letters and envelopes.
Protection order refused
In danger: 17 / 112 or SMS 114. Refusal does not authorise violence. Contact a lawyer immediately: an appeal is generally due within 15 days of notification; check the decision for deadlines and procedure. Discuss new evidence.
Order breached or no bed through 115
In danger call 17 / 112 and show police the order. Without a bed, arrange the next contact with 115 and a support centre; a housing refusal is not a reason to return to danger.
Legal basis checked 23/10/2026Service Public — Violences conjugales
Documents needed
Collected: 0 / 7
- Passports, residence permits and copies for you and children
- Children’s birth certificates, and court decisions
- , medical records, medicines and prescriptions
- , bank statements, income and benefit records
- Lease, keys and safe contacts
- Evidence, medical certificate and complaint receipt
- Phone, charger, children’s essentials and money if possible
FAQ
Must I complain before seeking a protection order?
No. The assesses evidence of violence and current danger.
What does a medical certificate with ITT look like?
It gives the examination date, clinician and patient details, findings and consequences and, if assessed, in days. It is not a judgment or a requirement for filing a complaint.
Does 115 guarantee a bed tonight?
No. Referral depends on your situation and vacancies. Mention violence and children; in immediate danger call 17 / 112.
Related guides
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