Safety
Do you feel unsafe? There are several organizations in the Netherlands where you can go. Do not be hesitant to speak to them.
Are you in danger and in need of quick assistance? Call 112. The government’s website indicates when you should and should not contact them. But it’s better to be safe than sorry! Do you feel unsafe? There are several organizations in the Netherlands where you can go. Please do not hesitate to contact us.
Common
- For urgent and emergency situations: call 112
- For non-emergency cases and questions: 0900-8844
- For the hearing impaired or deaf persons (text phone): 0900-1844
- For reporting crimes (anonymously): 0800-7000
Do you not feel safe with your host family or in your reception location? Call: 0800 2000. Veilig Thuis offers a listening ear and gives advice on where you can go for help.
It is important that your flight is as safe as possible. For this purpose, you can get help from Blue Dot Safe Space. A Blue Dot Safe Space provides shelter, help, information, and support when you and/or your family are fleeing.
UNHCR and UNICEF, together with national authorities and partners, have set up Blue Dot Safe Space (Protection and Support Hubs) along key travel routes to several European countries. The Blue Dots provide safe spaces, immediate support, and services to anyone fleeing. The Blue Dots have trained aid workers who can give you up-to-date and verified information on:
- Accomodation
- Travel and other services
- Rights and obligations for temporary protection status and asylum procedures
- Family reunification
- Tracing relatives
For more information on this topic, visit the website of Blue Dot Safe Space.
Through the Restoring Family Links (RFL) department from the Red Cross, you can submit a search request if you have lost contact with a family member or loved one. Once the request has been assessed, they can search for your loved one using contacts with local authorities and organisations in other countries. If the loved one is found, they will make sure you are put in touch. If they do not succeed, you will also be notified. For the search request and more information, please visit the website.
This flyer from CoMensha gives some tips to be safe on the run. The flyer contains information about recognizing risks of exploitation and human trafficking, what to do about it and where to report it. The website is in Dutch, but you can directly download the English flyer here. There is also a version of the flyer in Ukrainian and Russian available.
Do you feel unsafe as an LGBT person? Through the COC you can find all information about safety and help for LGBT people in the Netherlands.
Other organizations that can help you are:
- Roze in Blauw (Pink in Blue): Any police officer can take a report of an LGBT-related case or incident. Still, you may have questions you want to discuss with someone. You can do so by emailing or calling (088-1691234) with Roze in Blauw.
- LGBT Asylum Support is an independent organization (NGO). The purpose of the organization is to provide support to LGBTI refugees in the Netherlands. More information can be found on the website of LHBT Asylum Support
- Rainbow.whodis: This organization provides LGBT-friendly emergency shelters, particularly in Europe. More information can be found on the website of Rainbow.whodis.
Do you, or does someone close to you, think about suicide? Talking about it helps and you can do so anonymously. Chat on the website of 113 Zelfmoordpreventie or call 0800-0113 (free of charge if you call from a Dutch number).