Since it began operations in 1995, the organisation has fielded over 394,000 phone calls and 28,000 emails, and carried out some 8,000 interventions.
The anniversary coincides with 20 years since Poland introduced its domestic violence prevention law, which gave authorities concrete tools to support victims and prosecute abusers.
To mark the double milestone, a special conference titled From Declarations to a System of Support was held in Warsaw, drawing around 180 in-person participants and more than 200 online viewers.
Run on behalf of the National Centre for Addiction Prevention (KCPU), the Blue Line offers free, round-the-clock support via the phone number 800 120 002.
Callers, whether victims or witnesses of abuse, can access psychological assistance, legal advice, and information about safe shelters.
“No one should have to endure humiliation or fear in their own home,” said Katarzyna Łukowska, deputy director of the KCPU. "Everyone deserves peace and respect. Often the first step toward change is an anonymous phone call. Our consultants don’t judge or lecture – they listen patiently and help people find a way forward."
Over the past three decades, the programme has contributed to a broader support infrastructure, including the Blue Card procedure that enables police to document domestic violence cases for potential prosecution.
The legal definition of abuse has also been expanded from “family violence” to “domestic violence” to cover informal relationships and non-relatives sharing a household.
Liliana Krzywicka, who chairs the KCPU’s Council for Domestic Violence Prevention, highlighted these changes as key advances. "What began as a helpline became the cornerstone of a national system," she said.
The helpline team now consists of 66 professionals, including consultants, legal experts and coordinators.
Services are also available to foreigners in English, Ukrainian and Russian, as well as to deaf callers using Polish sign language (PJM).
Jolanta Terlikowska, programme director at the Institute of New Culture and a member of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Prevention Council, paid tribute to those who helped build the system.
“They trained a new generation of passionate, determined individuals committed not only to helping victims but also to prevention,” she said.
Organisers stress that domestic violence has no demographic boundaries. Victims and perpetrators can be of any gender, age, education level or economic status. Abuse may be physical, but also verbal, psychological, or financial – forms that are often invisible or easily dismissed, yet cause deep harm.
"Poland’s policies are often seen as a model in Europe," said Łukowska. "But even the best system won’t function properly without a shift in mindset. There can be no tolerance, none at all, for any form of violence."
(rt/gs)
Source: pap-mediaroom.pl