A well-equipped shelter with a multidisciplinary team not only offers refuge to women and children fleeing domestic violence, but also assists them in administrative and legal procedures, and offers further activities to help them regain their self-confidence.
SECURE EMERGENCY SHELTER
In 2019, 150 women died at the hands of their current or former partners in Nantes. Citad'elles is a post-traumatic treatment centre for women and children who have experienced domestic violence. This confidential and secure emergency shelter opened in 2019 and is a free service, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM ON SITE
Citad’elles helps women rebuild their lives through psychological care. Police presence facilitates legal action for women who wish to press charges against their abusers. An information point and care facilities for children, who have become co-victims of the violence suffered by their mothers, are also on-site. A multidisciplinary team of nurses, lawyers, social workers, psychiatrists, and midwives works at Citad'elles. The secure location has communal areas and is the first institution of its kind in France. Women here can start administrative and legal procedures while receiving shelter, moral, and psychological support.
REBUILDING LIVES
Open 24-7 free of charge, Nantes' Citad'elles offers emergency aid at the first signs of domestic abuse, to stop the cycle of violence and to keep women and children safe. The team supports women when it comes to health, law, social, and psychological issues, and offers activities like discussion groups and art therapy to help them regain their self-confidence. The women receive comprehensive support, all of which facilitates their recovery in the long run.
