Publicēts: 21.01.2025.

State funded social rehabilitation services for adult victims of violence are available to all persons who have suffered or suffers from:

  • physical violence (any act which causes physical harm as a result of unlawful physical force. Physical violence can take the form of, among others, serious and minor assault, deprivation of liberty and manslaughter);
  • sexual violence (any sexual act performed on the victim without consent. Sexual violence can take the form of rape or sexual assault);
  • economic violence (any act or behaviour which causes economic harm to an individual. Economic violence can take the form of, for example, property damage, restricting access to financial resources, education or the labour market, or not complying with economic responsibilities, such as alimony);
  • psychological violence (any intentional conduct that seriously impairs another person’s psychological integrity through coercion or threats);
  • threats of violence or violent controls (any act involving harassment, humiliation, intimidation, persecution, sexual coercion, stalking, controlling a person, such as who they meet, what clothing they choose, etc.).

The aim of the social rehabilitation is to provide psychosocial assistance, assess the threat and plan security measures, motivate the person to recover or enhance their social functioning capabilities (a person's limited capability to work, take care of himself or herself, integrate into the society) and strengthen or recover the person's social functioning capabilities.

Procedures by which adult victims of violence receive the State funded social rehabilitation services are set in the Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers of December 23, 2014 No.790 „Procedures for Providing Social Rehabilitation Services to Adult Persons who are Victims of Violence and who have Committed Violence".

The social rehabilitation service is provided in one of the following ways:

  • in the form of a social rehabilitation course up to 30 days in a social rehabilitation institution (with accommodation);
  • up to ten 45 minutes of counselling by a psychologist, social worker and lawyer.
  • in the form of crisis apartment service up to 30 days.

If the health and life of a person is endangered, the person may receive:

  • crisis apartment service up to 180 days with minor children and other persons with whom victim has lived in an undivided household before receiving the service;
  • up to 120 consultations of a psychologist, social worker and lawyer;
  • up to 180 days of a social rehabilitation course in the social rehabilitation institution with accommodation.

Persons residing in the Republic of Latvia with a temporary residence permit, as well as persons who are third-country nationals or stateless persons, who do not have legal grounds to reside in the Republic of Latvia and who have been detained (until the moment of removal or exit), who have been granted an alternative means of detention, or foreigners, for whom the operation of the return decision has been suspended or for whom a period of voluntary departure has been specified, may receive a State-paid social rehabilitation service for the adult victims of violence.

Adult victim of violence can receive the social rehabilitation service in the social rehabilitation institution, for example in a crisis centre, family support centre, or in any social service office.

In order to receive the services a person or its legal representative shall submit a written application and copy of following documents (if there is such a document):

  • decision of the investigator, prosecutor, member of the investigation team or institution (official) adjudicating the administrative violation case;
  • a court decision regarding recognition of a person as a victim;
  • a decision of a court or judge on temporary protection against violence or a police decision on separation;
  • a risk assessment which indicate life and health risks of victim prepared by social worker, if the person requests a crisis apartment service or consultations of specialists need to be increase to 120 consultations or a social rehabilitation course or crisis apartment service is extend to 180 days.

Some of the social rehabilitation institutions that provide the State-paid social rehabilitation service: