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1. Member States shall ensure that state-wide telephone helplines are available, free of charge, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, to provide information and advice to victims. Helplines as referred to in the first subparagraph may be operated by specialist support services, in accordance with national practice. Information and advice as referred to in the first subparagraph shall be provided on a confidential basis or with due regard for the victim’s anonymity. Member States are encouraged to also provide helplines as referred to in the first subparagraph through other secure and accessible ICT, including online applications.

2. Member States shall take appropriate measures to ensure that the services referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article are accessible for end-users with disabilities, including by providing support in language that is easy to understand. Those services shall be accessible in line with the accessibility requirements for electronic communications services set out in Annex I to Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council .

3. Member States shall strive to ensure the provision of the services referred to in paragraph 1 in a language that victims can understand, including by means of telephone interpreting.

4. Article 25(3) and (7) shall apply to the provision of helplines and support through ICT under this Article.

5. Member States are encouraged to ensure that the services referred to in paragraph 1 for victims of violence against women are reachable through the harmonised number at Union level, namely ‘116 016’, in addition to any existing national number or numbers.

6. Member States shall ensure that end-users are adequately informed of the existence of and number for helplines, including by means of regular awareness-raising campaigns.