Domestic Violence and the Law: What You Can Do and Where to Find Help

I am writing this article knowing that it may be read by someone who is in a difficult situation right now. Someone who is afraid, who is not sure whether what they are going through is "serious enough" to seek help. I want to say clearly: it is serious enough. And there are concrete steps you can take.

Every situation is different. Here are your options.

¶ What domestic violence means in legal terms

Domestic violence is not limited to physical assault. Czech law — and the practice of courts and police — recognises several forms:

Physical violence. Hitting, slapping, strangling, kicking, hair-pulling, restraining, denying food or sleep. It does not have to leave visible marks — violence without bruises is still violence.

Psychological violence. Systematic humiliation, threats, intimidation, controlling movement, isolation from family and friends, surveillance. Psychological violence is harder to prove, but courts take it seriously.

Economic violence. Denying access to finances, forbidding the victim from working, controlling every penny, coercing the victim into signing documents under duress. This, too, is a form of violence that the law recognises.

Sexual violence. Including within marriage. Rape by a partner is a criminal offence — without exception.

It is important to know that domestic violence does not only occur between spouses. The law also protects unmarried partners, persons living in the same household, and in some cases former partners.

¶ Eviction — immediate protection

Under Czech law, the police can order the immediate eviction (vykázání) of the violent person from the shared home. The eviction lasts 10 days, and the violent person cannot revoke it. During those 10 days, they may not enter the shared home or approach the endangered person.

How it works in practice: you call the police, they arrive and assess the situation on the spot. If they identify signs of domestic violence, they can issue the eviction even without your explicit consent — it is sufficient that they identify a threat. The evicted person may collect personal belongings and identification documents, but must leave.

The police also automatically notify an intervention centre, which will contact you within 48 hours and offer assistance — legal, psychological, and practical.

Important: An eviction is not a punishment. It is a protective measure. You do not need evidence, and you do not need to file a criminal complaint. It is enough that you feel threatened.

¶ Court protection — preliminary injunctions

After the 10-day eviction expires, you can ask the court for a preliminary injunction (following the 2026 reform, the term used in child-custody cases is "provisional decision" — see What changed in Czech family law for the broader reform), which extends the protection. The court may order the violent person to:

• stay away from the shared home,
• not approach you or the children,
• not contact you.

You can file the application yourself or with a lawyer's help. The court should decide within 48 hours of receiving the application. If you need assistance with drafting, contact an intervention centre or a lawyer — these applications are filed quickly and straightforwardly.

A preliminary injunction can last for months and can be extended. It gives you time and space to decide how to proceed.

¶ The criminal dimension — when DV is a criminal offence

Domestic violence can fulfil the elements of several criminal offences under Czech law:

• Abuse of a person living in a shared dwelling — a specific offence for domestic violence, carrying a sentence of up to 8 years.
• Bodily harm — when physical injury occurs.
• Dangerous threats — when the aggressor threatens to kill or cause other serious harm.
• Rape — including within a partnership.
• Restriction of personal freedom — when the aggressor prevents you from moving freely, locks you in.

A criminal complaint can be filed at any police station or with the public prosecutor's office. It can be filed in writing or orally. The police are obliged to investigate. What happens next and how the preliminary review unfolds is covered in my separate piece Criminal complaint — what happens when someone files one.

I know that filing a criminal complaint against a partner or family member is an enormously difficult decision. Nobody is forcing you to make it. But it is important to know that the option exists — and that there are people who will help you through it.

¶ Where to find help

You are not alone. Several organisations in the Czech Republic specialise in helping victims of domestic violence:

ROSA — a centre for women affected by domestic violence. Helpline: +420 602 246 102. Website: rosa-os.cz.

Bily kruh bezpeci (White Circle of Safety) — assistance for crime victims, including domestic violence. Helpline: 116 006 (24/7, free of charge). Website: bfrk.cz.

Helpline 116 006 — a free, round-the-clock helpline for crime victims. It operates in Czech, but can arrange assistance in other languages.

Intervention centres — operate in every region of the Czech Republic. They automatically reach out after an eviction order, but you can contact them at any time, even without an eviction.

Czech Police — emergency line 158. In immediate danger, call without hesitation.

If you are outside the Czech Republic or need help in another language, you can contact international helplines — for example, the National Domestic Violence Hotline (US: 1-800-799-7233), Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE), or Victim Support Europe.

¶ What if the situation is complicated

I know that domestic violence is rarely black and white. You may be afraid that nobody will believe you. You may feel that it is "your fault." You may worry about what will happen to the children. You may be financially dependent on your partner.

All of these concerns are understandable. But none of them means you do not have the right to protection.

A lawyer can help you map out your options — from an eviction order through a preliminary injunction to divorce (agreed or contested) and custody arrangements. What you can demand from a court in the custody part of the proceedings is covered in Child custody disputes — what parents need to know. Organisations like ROSA or Bily kruh bezpeci will help you even without money, and even without requiring you to file a criminal complaint right away.

¶ A closing word

I will not pretend there is one simple solution. There is not. But there are concrete legal tools that can protect you. There are people who will help you. And there is a way out — even if you cannot see it right now.

If you are reading this article and recognise yourself in it, take the first step. Call 116 006. Write to ROSA. Reach out to a lawyer. You do not have to deal with this alone.

Every situation is different. But your right to safety is unconditional.