After some delays due to logistics, Switzerland’s first national telephone number for victims of domestic abuse – 142 – has gone live on May 1st.
According to the Federal Statistics Office, in 2025 Swiss police registered 22,066 domestic violence offences – a 4.4 percent increase over the previous year.
Women comprised roughly 70 percent of victims, and over half of all homicides in 2025 involved domestic settings.
These are just the known cases, however; the number of those that go unreported is likely significant as well.
From now on, the hotline will be “a key step in the fight against domestic and sexual violence – number 142 – will allow victims and their relatives to quickly and easily obtain various support services,” the Federal Council said.
How does this hotline work?
The toll-free number will route calls to domestic violence specialists in the victims’ canton of residence. They are trained to respond based on the specific needs of the callers.
Support centres will operate from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm.
Outside these hours, calls will be routed to an inter-cantonal line, which will also be staffed with trained respondents.
This approach has required increased coordination among the cantons to ensure continuous and consistent access to services.
READ MORE: The essential Swiss phone numbers you should never forget
What other resources available to victims of domestic violence?
These are some that operate on the national level. They can point you to services available in your local community.
Counselling Center for Sexual Violence
The Umbrella Group of Women’s Shelters
