Orange Days highlight violence against women and girls – the campaign is also visible in Espoo

The Espoo Cultural Centre has looked slightly different in November and December. Those passing the cultural centre when it is dark may have noticed that the building is lit orange.

With the lighting, Espoo participates in the UN Women’s Global Orange the World campaign. The campaign highlights the problems of violence against women and girls: domestic violence, sexual violence and harassment, trafficking in human beings, child marriages and digital violence.

In the campaign, the orange colour symbolises the hope for a future in which life without violence is everyone’s right. The campaign began on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November and will continue until the Human Rights Day on 10 December.

You can participate in the Orange Days campaign by raising awareness of violence against women and girls and its prevention and by supporting UN Women’s work against violence(external link, opens in a new window).

Suzanne Innes-Stubb, the spouse of the President of the Republic, acts as the patroness of the campaign.

You should seek help if you experience violence or a threat of violence. Support is also available for those close to a person experiencing violence and for persons who are violent themselves or who are worried about their own behaviour.

In case of acute violent or dangerous situations, call the emergency number 112.

The Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County’s Help for Violence website (external link, opens in a new window)contains information on where you can seek help for domestic and intimate partner violence, sexual violence and violence against immigrant women. On the website, you will also find the contact details of Omatila, a unit that supports women experiencing domestic and intimate partner violence, as well as a list of shelters in the Western Uusimaa region and their contact details.

Nollalinja(external link, opens in a new window) helps everyone experiencing domestic violence or a threat of such violence. The helpline is open around the clock every day of the year, and you can call it free of charge. The number is +358 800 05005. You can also seek help from Nollalinja professionals in a chat that is open Mon–Wed from 9:00 to 15:00 and Thu–Fri from 14:00 to 20:00.

Crisis Center Monika(external link, opens in a new window) provides low-threshold support for those who have experienced violence or a threat of violence. The crisis workers at the centre take calls on the free helpline +358 800 05058 on weekdays. You can also contact the centre by email at kriisikeskus@monikanaiset.fi or via chat. You can visit the crisis centre in Kalasatama, Helsinki, without an appointment from Monday to Friday. In addition to Finnish, the service is available in Arabic, Dari, English, Farsi, Persian, French, Belarusian and Russian.

Hello Espoo offers information and help to people living in Espoo who speak different languages. The website provides advice and support if you have difficult situations, mental health challenges or violence in your life. In addition to Finnish, Swedish and English, the Hello Espoo website can be read and listened to in Spanish, French, Ukrainian, Russian and Vietnamese.

Lyömätön Linja in Espoo(external link, opens in a new window) helps men living in Western Uusimaa area who have used or fear they might use violence within their family or another intimate relationship. The service provided free of charge includes individual meetings with a professional and an opportunity to participate in a peer support group. Lyömätön linja also serves immigrant men. You can contact Lyömätön linja by phone, email or chat or by using the form on the website.