Domestic abuse: information for victims in Jordan
Detailed guide on domestic abuse, what to do and how to seek help in Jordan.
This information is provided to help British nationals overseas make decisions about whether and how to:
- seek medical advice and attention
- report to local police
- engage with foreign legal authorities following cases of domestic abuse
Definition of domestic abuse
Anyone over 16 can experience domestic abuse regardless of sex, gender or identity, although women are more likely to experience it.
If you’re experiencing domestic abuse and feel frightened of, or controlled by, a partner, an ex-partner or family member, it’s important to remember that it’s not your fault and there is no shame in seeking help.
The UK government’s definition of domestic abuse:
Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or above who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass, but is not limited to, the following types of abuse: psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional, controlling and coercive behaviour.
See also Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
Prosecutors define domestic abuse as:
Any form of physical, sexual or mental and emotional abuse which might amount to criminal conduct and which takes place within the context of a relationship. The relationship will be between partners (married, cohabiting, civil partnership or otherwise) or ex-partners. The abuse can be committed in the home or elsewhere.
In Jordan, domestic abuse or family abuse is defined clearly within Protection of Family Abuse law number 15 of 2017. Article (2) of the mentioned law states the following:
Family abuse: the crimes [1] committed on people by one of family members on another family member.
Article (3) of the law defines family members as:
- the husband and the wife[2]
- relatives by linage until 3rd degree[3]
- relatives by marriage until 2nd degree
- any other relatives who lives in the Family house
- child/children in the custody of a person or substitute family [4]
First steps
It is your choice about what you do next, but this information may help you in coming to a decision. The most important thing is to make sure that you are as safe as you can be. You can:
-
contact the Family Protection and Juvenile Department in any city in Jordan (06-5815826)
- contact the emergency police number in Jordan 911
- contact your tour operator if you are travelling with one
- contact the British Embassy in Jordan. Embassy staff will be polite, patient, sensitive and non-judgmental, and can provide information on local police and medical procedures. Anything you tell them will be treated in the strictest confidence. They can contact your family or friends for you if you wish.
- if you have been a victim of rape and other forms of sexual assault, check our guide for victims of rape and sexual assault in Jordan
Reporting domestic abuse in Jordan: what to expect
Police procedures
Domestic abuse is a crime that should be reported to the police. To report the incident to the police and file a complaint against the perpetrator in Jordan:
- you can approach the police directly either by calling the emergency phone number 911 if you are in immediate danger
- or in-person at the nearest police station or the Family Protection and Juvenile Department
The police will contact the Family Protection and Juvenile Department (FPJD) immediately to handle your case. FPJD will take all necessary steps to protect you, including moving you to a safe house in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Development or to the closest hospital. In this situation, the Ministry of Health will be notified of the case and will assist by providing the necessary medical examinations for you in forensic clinics.
If the officers at the police station do not speak English, they will try to arrange an interpreter, but you may have to wait for one to arrive. You may want to consult our list of translators and interpreters.
The police will ask you questions about what happened and if you have any evidence, including photos of injuries, if relevant. The police will also take into consideration any visible injuries. If you have not been to the hospital or clinic, you may want to ask the police to call an ambulance to take you to the nearest clinic. Medical reports stating your injuries are important for the criminal case afterwards. If you have any witnesses, it is preferable to take them with you to the police station so they can give their statements as well.
If you are traveling in Jordan with a tour operator, they should be able to arrange for someone to support you when you report the incident to the police. If you do not have a tour operator, you can ask the police to inform the British Embassy in Jordan. With your consent, we will try to liaise with the local police via telephone. If you are travelling with someone such as a friend or family member, you can take them with you for additional support if you wish.
Although, police reports are not usually handed to the victim directly, the police should give you a reference number to follow-up on the case at court and/or the prosecutor/attorney general department. Reports in Jordan are normally written in Arabic.
You do not have to surrender your passport. However, the police may want to take copies.
Getting medical treatment
If you have been injured in any way, you should seek medical treatment at the nearest hospital or clinic. See our list of medical facilities in Jordan.
If you want to report the incident to the police, it is important to see a doctor and get a medical certificate stating your injuries. Make sure you take photos of the injuries and get details of any witnesses if relevant. You can ask hospital staff to call the police on your behalf or head to the nearest police station (or Family Protection and Juvenile Department) after you leave the hospital. If you do not want to report it to the police yourself, tell the doctors upon arrival at the hospital. According to the law:
- health, educational or social service providers in the public and private sectors must report any case of domestic violence against any person who is incompetent or incapacitated
- report the incident/s with the consent of the victim if the victim is fully competent and the harm/abuse constitutes a misdemeanour. In cases of sexual abuse, they are obliged to inform the administration of the hospital
Foreigners are provided with services in all government hospitals for a fee which is often nominal. Public hospitals may not accept payment by card so you will need to carry cash. At private hospitals, fees can be paid by card or insurance.
If you have had medication administered while you are in Jordan, you may wish to keep the label or make a note of the name of the medication, so that you can let your local health provider know when you return to the UK.
Court procedures
The Jordanian court has a deputy prosecutor specialised in domestic abuse cases, and judges specialised in family affairs, including domestic abuse. The court has a reception area where victims can talk to social workers.
The court takes into consideration the statements you have given at the Family Protection and Juvenile Department, and would invite any witnesses to be heard by the judge. However, the court is able to dismiss cases over lack of evidence, so it is always helpful to gather as much evidence of the offence as possible.
The Court will not automatically update the British Embassy on the case’s progress. The British Embassy can make enquiries and seek updates from the court on your behalf, but the court is under no obligation to provide the embassy with information.
A lawyer will be best placed to obtain updates and in some cases, attend on your behalf. You would need to give your consent for your lawyer to communicate/update the British Embassy. See our list of lawyers .
The trial will take place in the local language (Arabic). If you wish to attend the court hearing, it is up to the local authorities to provide an interpreter. If you wish to not attend, the prosecutor will go ahead with case with the available evidence. However, you will need to testify in the court and/or before the prosecutor/attorney general even if you do not wish to proceed with the case.
There is no fixed timescale for the court process. The length of time court proceedings can take depends on a wide range of factors including case complexity or if the assailant pleads guilty or not guilty.
If after you have left the country, you are required to return to Jordan, no assistance for travel and accommodation will be given by the Jordanian authorities.
Currently, there are no Jordan or UK government compensation schemes applicable to survivors of domestic violence. However, the court is empowered to order the offender to pay compensation for any injuries or losses.
If you want to report the incident to the police in the UK
If the abuser is a British national, or lives in the UK, you could report the case to the police in the UK when you are back in the country. Call 999 if it’s an emergency or if you’re in immediate danger. Or you can contact your local neighbourhood policing team.
The police in the UK take domestic violence seriously and will be able to help and protect you.
While it is possible to report the crime to police in the UK, it is for foreign police forces to decide whether to investigate a crime in their jurisdiction. UK police forces cannot investigate crimes committed overseas. Foreign police forces can decide to request assistance from the UK police, but this cannot be guaranteed and is a very lengthy process. It can therefore be very difficult to guarantee that any justice can be assessed without reporting the crime locally.
If you file a report in the UK, Jordanian police inform us that it is far more difficult for them to investigate and take action. They are less likely to have any forensic evidence or to be able to carry out a detailed investigation as evidence such as CCTV is normally only kept for a few weeks. We are also aware that the transfer of a crime report from the UK to Jordan can take a considerable length of time, which again can affect the Jordanian police and the Jordanian court’s ability to take action. If you file a report in the UK, by the time the report reaches Jordan, the evidence may have been lost.
See more information on how to get help in the UK.
See Rape and sexual assault: returning to the UK for more information on what to do if you have been a victim of of rape and sexual assault.
Support organisations in Jordan
Family Protection and Juvenile Department
Protection of Family Abuse law number 15 of 2017 was implemented in Jordan to protect the fundamental part of the society (families). The law protects both genders in the family and is specialised in determining the procedures of solving the domestic abuse cases in Jordan.
To make sure that the mentioned law is implemented correctly, the Family Protection and Juvenile Department (FPJD) in every city in Jordan follows certain procedures when a domestic abuse case is reported, such as responding as quickly as possible.
FPJD also provide psychiatric services, and social follow-up on cases through field visits and telephone calls; family counselling services for settlement; psychological services and behavioural therapy through psychologists and in cooperation with a psychiatrist.
You can contact the department via e-mail fpj.dept@psd.gov.jo.
You can also communicate with the department through the official social media pages of the department on Facebook and Instagram, or through any of the department’s teams spread across all governorates of the Kingdom.
You can submit a report via https://psd.gov.jo/en-us/content/security-services/report-for-a-domestic-case/, WhatsApp on 0797911911, or through the application (Amen 911) available for Android and iOS devices.
Jordanian Women’s Union
The Jordanian Women’s Union (JWU), headquartered in Amman, is a non-governmental, democratically elected organization that is committed to improving the status of women. The JWU’s vision is to achieve equal rights, within all sectors of society, for women and all marginalised groups.
Street Address:
Jabal Al Hussein – Safad Street,
Amman
Phone Number: +962 (6) 568 7037
Hotline Number: +962(6)5675729
E-mail: jwu@go.com.jo
SOS Children’s Villages Jordan
SOS Children’s Villages Jordan is a national non-profit organisation that work to prevent family breakdown and care for children who have lost parental care, or who risk losing it. They work with communities, partners and states to ensure that the rights of all children, in every society, are respected and fulfilled.
Address:
Pr. Shaker St.,
Amman, Jordan
Phone: +962 6 566 5724
Email: sos.info@sos-jordan.org
Support organisations and useful contacts in the UK
Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge
Tel: 0808 200 0247
Website: www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk
Galop (for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people)
Tel: 0800 999 5428
Website: www.galop.org.uk
Live Fear Free helpline (Wales)
Tel: 0808 80 10 800
Website: www.livefearfree.gov.wales
Men’s Advice Line
Tel: 0808 801 0327
Website: www.mensadviceline.org.uk
Rape Crisis (England and Wales)
Tel: 0808 802 9999
Website: www.rapecrisis.org.uk
Respect phoneline
Tel: 0808 802 4040
Website: www.respectphoneline.org.uk
Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline
Tel: 0800 027 1234
Website: sdafmh.org.uk
Scottish Women’s Aid
Tel: 0131 226 6606
Website: www.scottishwomensaid.org.uk
Women’s Aid Federation (Northern Ireland)
Tel: 0800 917 1414
Website: www.womensaidni.org
Local services
Find your nearest support office on the Women’s Aid Directory.
Disclaimer
This information is provided as a general guide and is based on information provided to the British Embassy by the relevant local authorities and may be subject to change at any time with little or no notice. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or legal advice. Accordingly, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the British Embassy will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information. British nationals wishing to obtain any further information must contact the relevant local authority.
[1] Any kind of crime.
[2] Having this mentioned clearly, this law excludes any other type of partners.
[3] Including siblings, uncles and aunts, 1st and 2nd cousins.
[4] A chosen family to implement a substitute custody instead of an institutional custody for a specific child.