Professionals are very familiar with shelter services for victims of domestic violence, but knowledge about the Nollalinja service is low
Professionals working in the social and healthcare sector, the police, and emergency response centres are very familiar with shelter services. According to a Taloustutkimus survey commissioned by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), 99 per cent of the respondents were familiar with the shelter service for victims of domestic violence. However, only 42 per cent said they were familiar with the Nollalinja service, which has been in operation for just over four years and is also available for professionals and officials who require advice in their work with customers.
64 per cent of the professionals who responded to the survey knew that the shelter service is completely free of charge for the customer. The majority of respondents, 87 per cent, also knew that customers applying for a shelter place do not require a referral.
However, less than half, 48 per cent, were able to say that the service is also free of charge for the customer's municipality of residence.
“In order for customers to be directed to a shelter when needed, we must be more efficient in our communications to professionals about the content of the services,” says Senior Specialist Suvi Nipuli from THL.
Shelters offer the customer the opportunity to discuss their feelings and their experiences of violence in a safe environment. Shelters also offer counselling on legal issues and on organising practical matters.
“Everyone who needs the service is entitled to shelter services, regardless of, for example, their municipality of residence, wealth or whether the customer has children or not. Professionals can encourage a customer who is experiencing domestic violence to seek help by telling them about the service and emphasising that is it free,” Nipuli describes.
The Nollalinja service was best known in emergency response centres
Nollalinja, that offers help for anyone who has experienced violence or a threat of violence in a close relationship, was best known to those working in emergency response centres. 67 per cent of them were familiar with the service. About half of those working in the police, 53 per cent, and 46 per cent of those working in social welfare, knew about Nollalinja. The service was less well known in healthcare, where 39 per cent of respondents were familiar with it.
By comparison, in previous surveys conducted by Taloustutkimus, 45 per cent of citizens who experienced domestic violence themselves knew about Nollalinja in 2019 and 58 per cent in 2020.
"Cooperation with the Emergency Response Centre Agency, including the 112 Suomi mobile application, is reflected in the results. Healthcare, on the other hand, is the largest stakeholder group and it takes time to spread the knowledge,” says Elisa Niklander, Senior Specialist at THL.
The majority of those familiar with Nollalinja, 91 per cent, knew that the service is an anonymous service and 66 per cent knew that calling Nollalinja was free of charge for the caller.
Nollalinja also provides assistance for customer work
Over the past year, 55 per cent of respondents had identified amongst their customers people who had experienced domestic violence or a threat of violence in a close relationship. 36 per cent of these professionals had told a customer about shelter services, and 26 per cent had also directed customers to a shelter during the last year. 27 percent had told customers about the Nollalinja service.
“It is important to tell everyone who experiences or is threatened with domestic violence where to get help. Finding the services must not be the sole responsibility of the customer or patient. For example, information on tackling violence and talking about domestic violence is available on THL's website,” says Nipuli.
It is important for a professional to assess the customer's situation, carry out a risk assessment of violence, and provide assistance for violence. Professionals can also receive support from Nollalinja for their customer work on violence issues. According to the survey, just over a third of the respondents who knew about Nollalinja service knew about this.
THL is responsible for organising the Nollalinja and shelter services and the state is responsible for financing the activities. Customers can use the shelter they want, and municipal boundaries, for example, do not prevent access to the service. Nollalinja and shelters cooperate, for example, in customer counselling.
The target group in the survey was professionals aged 18–64 working in social care, healthcare, the police or the emergency response centres. The survey data was collected from 26 October to 26 November 2020. 750 people responded to the survey.
Further information:
Help for professionals to identify situations of domestic violence (in Finnish and Swedish)
Nollalinja free-to-use materials (Nollalinja)
Elisa Niklander
Senior Specialist
THL
tel. +358 29 524 7097
[email protected]
Suvi Nipuli
Senior Specialist
THL
tel. +358 29 524 7205
[email protected]
