Looking for help and support has a central role in the process of putting an end to partner violence and an important turning-point in the process of deciding to seek help is having children and becoming aware of the effects of the violence on them. This study aims to investigate which sources of help women contacted before arriving at an Anti-violence Centre (AVC), and to analyse the circumstances in which they contacted them. A cross-sectional study was conducted among women arriving at an Anti-violence Centre in Italy. One hundred and fifty-one women filled in a self-administered questionnaire. The women reported high levels of all typologies of IPV (Intimate Partner Violence); the children were closely involved in the violence. Before arriving to the AVC, 33.1% of the sample contacted four or more sources. When children were involved in violence, more sources were activated, than in cases in which children were not involved. This study points to the importance of improving practitioners’ ability to recognize violence and support the victims.
