The first Edelweiss psychological and legal counseling office was inaugurated in Hancesti town on September 15. Its purpose is to support and guide the women and children who need assistance in cases of domestic violence, IPN reports, quoting a press release of Edelweiss Foundation that is sponsored by Vlad Plahotniuc.

“This place was created for those who need advice and support in cases of domestic violence. They can come here safety and will not be judged. The specialists of this office are psychologists and jurists. They will tell the victims of domestic violence how to react and to seek assistance,” said the Foundation’s executive director Lara Moraru.

The psychological and legal counseling office provides services free of charge and can be contacted on (0 269) 233 64 from Monday through Friday, between 9am and 6pm. The operational costs are covered by Edelweiss.

“This office is very important for Hancesti because the affected persons were earlier directed to Chisinau and this was rather inconvenient and difficult,” Tamara Calugarul, of the Hancesti Social Assistance and Family Protection Division, said in the inauguration of the office.

Director of the local Lyceum “Mihai Eminescu” Ana Placinta welcomed the Foundation’s initiative. “We didn’t have such services close to the victims until now. Such offices should be opened all over the country so as to ensure the safety of each family and each child apart,” she stated.

According to the press release, the psychological and legal counseling office in Hancesti is the first of the kind, but more such centers dedicated to the victims of domestic violence will be yet set up within the nationwide information campaign “Protected Families”, carried out on the initiative of Vlad Plahotniuc;s Foundation.