Family violence help in Singapore: who to call, how to stay safe and how to get a protection order

If you or your children are in danger now, call the police on 999. If it isn't safe to talk, SMS 70999. For family violence help in Singapore at any hour, call the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH) on 1800-777-0000. MSF says what you share is kept confidential, and help at a Protection Specialist Centre is free.

What to do now, step by step

1. Call 999 if anyone is in danger. If you can't speak safely, SMS 70999, the line SPF gives for when it is not safe to talk.
2. Call the NAVH on 1800-777-0000, or use MSF's online reporting form. MSF lists the line as open 24 hours. Mobile airtime charges apply.
3. Get any injury seen at the nearest hospital or clinic. Family Assist, MSF's family site, says this gets injuries treated and recorded as evidence, even if you don't take action. The police can give you a referral letter for a hospital check.
4. Keep your phone on you and save a few safe people as favourites. MSF also suggests telling a trusted person and planning how you'd get out.
5. Keep a spare key somewhere safe so you can leave quickly. Family Assist also suggests going to a room that locks, like the toilet or bedroom, and calling for help.
6. Leave if you need to. A Family Service Centre (FSC) or the police can help you get into a crisis shelter. Call ComCare on 1800-222-0000 to reach your nearest FSC.
7. Call a Protection Specialist Centre (PSC) for counselling, casework and help with a protection order. SupportGoWhere lists the service as free, with no referral needed.
8. Ask about a Personal Protection Order. You can apply at a PSC or at the Family Justice Courts, and the Judiciary says you don't need a lawyer.
9. Talk to your children about how they feel. Family Assist's safety planning page says a professional can speak with them if needed.

Who to contact, at a glance

Protection orders: what each one does

A Personal Protection Order (PPO) is a court order that stops a family member from committing family violence against you or the family members it names. The Judiciary says the court grants one when it's satisfied violence has happened or is likely, and that the order is needed for your safety. Family Assist adds that medical and police reports help, and that a PPO is granted after a trial unless the other person consents.

You can ask for other orders alongside it:

• Expedited Order (EO): a temporary order while you wait for the hearing. The court makes one only if it sees a danger of violence in the meantime. It ends after 28 days or when the hearing starts, whichever comes first, unless the court extends it.
• Domestic Exclusion Order (DEO): keeps the other person out of all or part of your home.
• Stay Away Order: keeps them out of an area outside your home or places you often go.
• No Contact Order: stops them visiting or contacting the family members it names.

Breaking any of these orders is a criminal offence. If it happens, report it to the police straight away, the Judiciary says.

How to apply for a personal protection order in Singapore

If you're 18 or older, you can apply for yourself and for your children under 18. Go to the Family Protection Centre on Level 1 of the Family Justice Courts at Havelock Square, or to any PSC. You can start the form online on iFAMS to save time at the counter, but you still go in person to finish it.

Bring your identity card or passport, plus any police or medical reports. Note down the latest and past incidents: date, time, place, what happened and any injuries. A court family specialist, or a social worker at a PSC, sees you one to one in a private room. The Judiciary says this takes around 30 to 45 minutes, not counting the wait. If your papers are in order, a judge can approve them without seeing you, and may add an EO.

At the courts, the last queue ticket for applications is issued at 12pm. MSF's answer on ask.gov.sg puts an online PPO application at $1.00. You don't need a lawyer, though you can hire one.

Scared to see the other person in court? Tell the court family specialist. You can ask to attend the first session, called a mention, by video link from an agency. The Judiciary says that option ends if the case goes to a hearing.

If the person is a partner you're not married to, the Judiciary lists them among the people you can't file a PPO against. PSCs still help survivors of intimate partner violence, so call one and ask what your options are.

If you're pregnant or have a baby

Tell the doctor who sees you or your baby what's happening at home. If that's at KKH, you can ask your doctor to refer you to a medical social worker. KKH's social workers do risk assessment and safety planning for spousal violence and child abuse. They work with MSF, FSCs and the police.

If you're also struggling with low mood after the birth, our guide to postnatal depression and where to get help covers screening and treatment. For lines you can call about your own mental health, see mental health helplines for parents.

Leaving can bring money and housing worries. Our guides to financial help for families and single parent benefits cover the schemes you can apply for.

Children who see or suffer violence

Seeing violence at home can distress a child even if nobody touches them, Family Assist says. MSF lists signs such as trouble sleeping, nightmares, crying a lot, tantrums, and going back to earlier habits like bedwetting.

To report child abuse in Singapore, call the NAVH on 1800-777-0000. If a child is in danger right now, call 999. MSF says there's no civil or criminal liability for a report made in good faith.

MSF says that, as far as possible, children should stay with their families. Its Protective Service deals with high-risk cases.

What happens after you call

MSF says calls and online reports to the NAVH are treated the same way, and the information you share is kept confidential. A police report may be lodged from what you tell them if the law requires it.

At a PSC, a caseworker interviews you to find out what you need. Then you get information, referrals or services, SupportGoWhere says.

Where there are immediate safety concerns, police can refer the case to MSF's Domestic Violence Emergency Response Team (DVERT). The team works with the police and community partners to help the family. MSF says domestic violence cases such as spousal abuse are overseen by community agencies, like FSCs and PSCs.

If someone you know is being hurt

Call the NAVH yourself, or 999 if they're in danger. MSF's Signal for Help is a one-handed gesture a person can use to ask for a check-in. They hold up one hand with the thumb tucked into the palm, then fold the four fingers over the thumb.

If you see it, don't react on the spot, since the other person may be close by. Reach out later by text or WhatsApp. Ask simple yes-or-no questions, such as 'Can you talk safely now?' For longer-term support, see parent support groups in Singapore.

If you're the one using violence

Help exists for you too. SupportGoWhere lists persons who abuse among the people PSCs serve. Family Assist asks anyone who uses violence to seek help to stop. Call a PSC or the NAVH and say you want to change.

Frequently asked questions

What is the family violence hotline in Singapore?

It's the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH) on 1800-777-0000, which MSF lists as open 24 hours. You can also report online through MSF's NAVH form. If someone is in danger, call 999, or SMS 70999 if you can't talk.

How do I get a personal protection order in Singapore?

Apply in person at the Family Protection Centre at the Family Justice Courts, or at any PSC. You can start the form online on iFAMS first. Bring your identity card or passport and any police or medical reports. You don't need a lawyer, and PSC help is free.

Where can abused mothers get help in Singapore?

Call the NAVH at any hour, or a PSC for free counselling and help with a protection order. ComCare on 1800-222-0000 connects you to your nearest FSC, which can help you get into a crisis shelter. If you're pregnant or a KKH patient, ask your doctor for a medical social worker.

How do I report child abuse in Singapore?

Call the NAVH on 1800-777-0000 or use the online form. Call 999 if the child is in immediate danger. MSF says the information you share is kept confidential, and you aren't liable for a report made in good faith.

Is domestic violence help in Singapore confidential?

MSF says information shared with the NAVH is kept confidential, though a police report may be lodged where the law requires it. At the Family Justice Courts, your session with the court family specialist is in a private room. The other person is told only what's in your application form and the outcome of that session.