Many people living with domestic violence in Belarus are held back by one of two beliefs, and both are wrong. The first is that the law can do nothing until something “serious” or criminal happens — that without a grave injury there is no protection to be had. The second is that leaving is the only option, because nothing can make the abuser go.
Neither is true. Belarusian law has a tool designed for exactly this situation: the protective order. Issued by the police, it can bar the abuser from contacting you or trying to find out where you are, and — crucially, with your consent — it can require them to leave the home you share, for a period that can be extended. Around it sits a support system many people don’t know about: crisis rooms offering free temporary shelter and help, and a free, confidential nationwide helpline. Family law works in parallel: divorce, measures to protect the children, and restricting or removing a violent parent’s rights where the children are at risk. The honest and reassuring message is that you are not without protection. There are concrete measures: a protective order that removes the abuser rather than forcing you out, shelter if you need it, and family-law steps to protect you and your children. This article sets out your options and how to use them.
What counts as domestic violence
It helps to be clear about what the law actually covers, because many people underestimate it. Domestic violence under Belarusian law is not only physical. It means intentional acts of a physical, psychological or sexual nature committed by one family member against another — a spouse, a partner you live with, a sibling or another close relative — that violate their rights and cause physical or mental suffering. Threats, intimidation, controlling and degrading behaviour, and sexual coercion all fall within it, not just blows that leave a mark, and it covers couples who live together, not only those who are married. This matters for two reasons. If you have been telling yourself “it’s not that bad” because there are no visible injuries, the law may already recognise what is happening to you. And because the definition is broad, the protective measures apply to more situations than the word “violence” might suggest. Recognising the behaviour for what it is — by the law’s own definition — is often the first step towards using the protection available. It is also worth saying plainly: none of this is your fault, and the protection described below is yours by right, not a favour. These are measures the law provides for people in your position, not concessions you have to justify or earn. Reading on commits you to nothing; it is simply a way of finding out, quietly and privately, what help is available — something anyone is entitled to do.
The protective order — what it can do
Start with the central tool, because it is more powerful than most people realise. Under the Law on the Prevention of Offences, a protective order is issued by the police against a person who has committed domestic violence, to protect the life and health of the person harmed. It can prohibit the abuser from contacting you without your consent — including by phone or online — from trying to find out where you are, and from visiting places where you are staying. With the written consent of the adult who has been harmed, it can also require the abuser to leave the home you share for 3 to 30 days (the period can be extended), taking only their personal belongings, and prohibit them from disposing of jointly owned property. The key point is this: the order can remove the abuser from the home, not you. Breaching the order is itself an offence. For anyone who believed the only way to be safe was to leave, that changes the picture — for the better.
Reporting and getting a protective order
A protective order follows a report, so reporting is the starting point. You can call the police on 102 or go to your local police department. Once domestic violence is established, the abuser faces consequences — an official warning, an administrative penalty or criminal proceedings — and is placed on the police prevention register; the protective order and other preventive measures follow from there. You do not have to wait for an injury: Belarusian law defines domestic violence as intentional physical, psychological or sexual acts against a family member, so protection is not reserved for the most serious cases. Reporting can feel like the hardest step, which is exactly why the police and the helpline are there to help you take it — and if you are not ready to go to the police yet, the helpline can talk you through your options first.
Crisis rooms and support
If you need somewhere safe to go, there is a system for that too, and it is free. Crisis rooms provide temporary shelter for people facing domestic violence. They are run by local social service centres across the country and offer social, psychological and legal support alongside accommodation. The national helpline, 8-801-100-8-801, is free, anonymous and available nationwide, with a lawyer on duty on certain days. It can advise you and refer you to the nearest crisis room and the right local services. These are the practical answers to “Where do I go, and who can I talk to?” — and they exist so that no one has to face this with nowhere to turn.
Safety first: practical planning
Before the legal steps, a word about staying safe, because safety comes first. If you are thinking about seeking protection or leaving, a few quiet preparations help. Keep your own and your children’s identity documents, and copies of important papers, somewhere you can reach quickly; keep some money and essentials to hand; know where you would go — to someone you trust, or to a crisis room — and keep the helpline number where you can find it. Agree a simple signal for help with someone you trust, and think through the safest moment to act. If you have children, plan for them too. None of this needs to be elaborate, and you do not have to have it all in place before you reach out — the helpline and the police can help you plan. The point is simply that your safety is the priority everything else is built around, and a little preparation, done quietly and in your own time, can make the moment of acting calmer and safer. And if you are ever in immediate danger, all planning gives way to one thing: call 102.
Criminal and administrative liability
It helps to know that the law treats domestic violence as an offence, not a private matter. Less serious acts are dealt with as administrative offences; bodily harm, battery, threats and more serious acts are crimes. So a report does more than open the door to a protective order: it can lead to the abuser being held to account, administratively or criminally, and placed on the prevention register that underpins the protective measures. That accountability matters in two ways: it has consequences for the abuser, and it creates an official record that supports further steps, including any family-law proceedings. The system is designed so that a report is taken seriously and acted on, not treated as something to be settled quietly at home.
Evidence: what helps
If you feel able to, keep a record — it helps both with a protective order and with any later steps to hold the abuser to account or resolve family-law issues. Useful evidence includes a medical report if you have been hurt (seek medical help — the record may be needed later); copies or reference numbers of your reports to the police; photographs; threatening or abusive messages; and the names of anyone who witnessed incidents or whom you told at the time. You do not need a perfect file to seek protection — a protective order follows a report, not a fully built case — and your safety always comes before gathering evidence. But where it is safe to keep a record, it strengthens every step that follows: the protective order, holding the abuser to account, and family-law decisions about the children and property. Keep whatever you have somewhere safe and private, and tell your lawyer what you have when you seek advice — they can tell you what matters and how to use it.
Protecting the children
Where violence affects or endangers children, their safety is a priority, and there are specific measures to protect them. The guardianship authority and the courts can step in — setting or restricting a violent parent’s contact, determining the child’s place of residence with the safe parent and, in serious cases, depriving a parent of parental rights. A protective order that protects the adult also protects the household the children live in, and the family-law steps that follow can secure the children’s position for the long term. If children are involved, that is a reason to act sooner rather than later, and to make sure their situation is addressed alongside your own.
For those supporting someone — and for witnesses
If you are worried about a family member, a friend or a neighbour, you are not powerless either. The national helpline is not only for people experiencing abuse — it is also for witnesses and for anyone who fears a situation may be heading that way — so you can call for advice on how to help. Witnesses can report domestic violence to the police, including by calling 102, and a report from someone outside the household can make a difference. What helps most is often simpler: believing the person, not judging them, letting them talk at their own pace, having the helpline number and the crisis-room option ready to share, and being a trusted contact they can reach. Avoid pushing them to act before they are ready, and avoid anything that could increase the risk to them; let them lead on timing and safety. Supporting someone through this is hard, and the helpline can advise you as a supporter just as it advises the person affected. Sometimes the most important thing a friend or relative can do is simply be the safe person who knows, ready when the moment comes. One practical caution: resist the urge to confront the abuser or to intervene in a way that could put the person — or you — in greater danger. Your role is to be a steady presence and a link to help, not to resolve the situation yourself. Where there is immediate danger, the right action is the same for you as for the person affected: call 102. Standing by someone, patiently and safely, until they are ready to use the protection available is, in the end, how most people find their way out.
Family-law steps and what to do next
Beyond immediate protection, family law is how a family reaches lasting safety, and it can run alongside the protective measures. Divorce, decisions on where the children will live and what contact a violent parent may have — set out in a Children’s Agreement or decided by the court — and the division of property are the steps that let you rebuild your life on your own terms. The practical order is simple: get yourself (and your children) safe first; call 102 if you are in danger; contact the helpline or a crisis room; report to the police so that a protective order and other preventive measures can follow; and get legal advice on the family-law steps. None of this has to be done alone or all at once — each step opens the next, and the first is simply reaching out.
A worked example: how protection works in practice
It can help to see how the measures fit together, without the details of any real case. Imagine a woman living with a partner whose behaviour has become threatening and, at times, violent. She calls the helpline first, anonymously, and talks through her options; the adviser points her to the nearest crisis room and explains how a protective order works. When an incident makes things urgent, she calls 102. The police respond, the incident is recorded and — because domestic violence is established — the abuser faces consequences and is placed on the prevention register. A protective order is issued barring him from contacting her and, with her consent, requiring him to leave the shared home for a set period. She and her children stay in their home; he is the one who has to leave. Meanwhile, she has a crisis room as a fallback and support from social services, and she begins, with a lawyer, the family-law steps — divorce, the children’s residence, his contact — that settle matters for the long term. No single step did everything; each one opened the next. That is the system working as intended. And notice what the example is not: a leap she had to make all at once, from a standing start, alone. It began with an anonymous phone call, and each later step was taken with support already in place — the helpline, the police, social services, a lawyer. If you are reading this and acting feels impossibly big, that is the reassurance to hold onto: no one expects you to do everything today, or on your own. You take the first small step, and the system is designed to carry you through the rest.
Common misconceptions
A few beliefs stop people from reaching the protection that exists, and each deserves a gentle correction. “It’s a private family matter.” The law treats domestic violence as an offence, and a report is acted on, not brushed aside. “I’ll have to leave my home.” A protective order can make the abuser leave instead, so you and your children can stay. “Nothing can be done until there’s a serious injury.” The legal definition covers psychological and sexual harm, not only physical, and you don’t have to wait. “Asking for help will only make things worse.” The risk is real and timing matters — which is exactly why safety planning and the helpline exist, and why the law aims to remove the abuser rather than expose the victim. “It costs too much.” The helpline and crisis rooms are free, and you do not pay for a police response or a protective order. Behind most of these beliefs lie isolation and fear — exactly what abuse depends on. The measures described here exist to break that cycle, and reaching out to the helpline or the police is how they begin.
Your options and how to access them
Concrete protection and support, and how to access each.
| Measure | What it does | How to access |
| Protective order | Bars contact and attempts to locate you; can require the abuser to leave the shared home (3–30 days, extendable) | Through the police: call 102 or report in person |
| Crisis room | Free temporary shelter, with social, psychological and legal support | Through your local social service centre; the helpline can refer you |
| National helpline | Free, confidential advice and referrals nationwide | Call 8-801-100-8-801 |
| Reporting to the police | Administrative or criminal liability for the abuser; the basis for a protective order | Call 102 or go to a police station |
| Family-law steps | Divorce; the children’s residence and a violent parent’s contact; deprivation of parental rights in serious cases | Through a family lawyer or the courts |
For general guidance only. Measures and contact details may change, so check the current information. In an emergency, call 102.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a protective order, and what can it do?
It is a measure issued by the police against a person who has committed domestic violence, to protect the person harmed. It can bar the abuser from contacting you without your consent (including by phone or online), from trying to find out where you are, and from visiting places where you are staying. With your written consent, it can also require them to leave the shared home for 3 to 30 days (extendable), taking only their personal belongings, and prohibit them from disposing of jointly owned property.
Can the law make the abuser leave the home?
Yes, and this is one of the most important things to know. With the written consent of the adult who has been harmed, a protective order can require the abuser to leave the shared home temporarily (for 3 to 30 days, extendable), taking only their personal belongings, and prohibit them from disposing of jointly owned property. The law can remove the abuser from the home instead of forcing the victim to leave.
How do I get a protective order?
By reporting the violence: call the police on 102 or go to your local police department. Once domestic violence is established, the abuser faces consequences (an official warning, an administrative penalty or criminal proceedings) and is placed on the prevention register; the protective order and other preventive measures follow. You don’t have to wait for an injury. Reporting is the first step, and the helpline can help you take it.
Where can I find shelter?
Crisis rooms, run by local social service centres across the country, offer free temporary shelter to people facing domestic violence, along with social, psychological and legal support. If you’re not sure where the nearest one is, the national helpline (8-801-100-8-801) can refer you to it and to the right local services.
Is domestic violence a crime in Belarus?
The law treats it as an offence. Less serious acts are administrative offences; bodily harm, battery, threats and more serious acts are crimes. A report can lead to the abuser being held to account, administratively or criminally, and placed on the prevention register that underpins the protective measures. Domestic violence is not treated as a private matter to be settled at home: a report is taken seriously and acted on.
How are the children protected?
Where violence affects or endangers children, the guardianship authority and the courts can step in — setting or restricting a violent parent’s contact, determining that the child lives with the safe parent and, in serious cases, depriving a parent of parental rights. A protective order protects the household; family-law steps secure the children’s position in the long term. If children are involved, that is a reason to act sooner.
What family-law steps can I take?
Divorce; decisions on the children’s residence and a violent parent’s contact (by agreement or by the court); and the division of property. These run alongside the immediate protective measures and let you rebuild your life on your own terms. The sensible order is safety first, then the protective order and support, then the family-law steps — which a family lawyer can handle sensitively and in confidence.
What counts as domestic violence under the law?
Intentional acts of a physical, psychological or sexual nature committed by one family member against another — a spouse, a partner you live with, a sibling or another close relative — that violate their rights and cause physical or mental suffering. So it is not only physical: threats, intimidation, controlling behaviour and sexual coercion are included, and it covers couples who live together, not only married ones.
Should I prepare before seeking help?
A little quiet preparation helps: keep identity documents and copies of important papers within reach, have some money and essentials to hand, know where you would go, keep the helpline number handy and, if you have children, plan for them too. But you don’t need everything in place before reaching out; the helpline and the police can help you plan. Safety comes first, and if you are in immediate danger, call 102.
What evidence helps?
A medical report if you have been hurt; copies or reference numbers of your police reports; photographs; threatening messages; and the names of witnesses or people you confided in. You don’t need a perfect file — a protective order follows a report, not a fully built case — and safety comes before evidence. Where it is safe to keep a record, it strengthens every later step.
How can I help someone I’m worried about?
Believe them, don’t judge, let them talk at their own pace, and have the helpline number and the crisis-room option ready to share. The helpline is also for witnesses and worried friends and relatives, so you can call it for advice. Witnesses can also report to the police (102). Let the person lead on timing and safety — don’t push them to act before they’re ready, and don’t do anything that could increase the risk.
Will seeking help make things worse?
The risk is real, and timing matters — which is why safety planning and the helpline exist, and why the law aims to remove the abuser (through a protective order) rather than expose the victim. The helpline and the police can help you plan the safest way to act. Doing nothing carries its own risk; reaching out carefully, with support, is how you begin to change the situation safely.
Conclusion
You are not without protection in Belarus. A protective order can bar contact and make the abuser, not you, leave the home; crisis rooms offer free shelter; a confidential helpline offers advice and support; the abuser can be held to account; and family-law steps protect you and your children in the long term. The first moves — getting to safety, calling the police if you are in danger, and contacting the helpline or the police to start the process towards a protective order — open the door to all of it, and you don’t have to do any of it alone.
If you or your family are affected by domestic violence and need help with a protective order, a divorce or protecting your children, we can help — sensitively and in confidence. Get in touch.
