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Domestic Violence Resources Directory
If you’re struggling to cope in an abusive relationship, you’re not alone. Experts estimate that over 10 million Americans are affected by domestic violence every year. Whether it’s physical or verbal abuse, it’s not OK, and you can take action to stop it. These vetted helplines are here for you.
Resource Sharing Project: Supporting Sexual Assault Coalitions
Domestic Violence Resource
How We Help:The Resource Sharing Project (RSP) was created to help state sexual assault coalitions across the country access the resources they need in order to develop and thrive as they work to support survivors and end sexual assault.
History:
The project is designed to provide technical assistance, support, and the dissemination of peer-driven resources for all stat ...e and territorial sexual assault coalitions. The RSP recognizes the needs of all coalitions, especially those designated as new or emerging, regarding issues of organizational growth, professional development, and policy/protocol development. We believe in the importance of peer–to–peer technical assistance and the voices of survivors as guiding principles. The RSP is led by the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault with project partners, the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs. The RSP is made possible by a grant from the Office on Violence Against Women, United States Department of Justice. Read More »
For Men, For Women, For LGBT, For Children/Teens, For Elders
Location
Des Moines, IA
Fort Refuge
Domestic Violence Resource
How We Help:We provide a platform for abuse survivors to talk to each other anonymously about the trauma we've been through and the aftermath it left us with; about coping with and recovering from it, to rebuild our lives. There are no counselors and no crisis services on site, we're a strictly peer community.
History:
Fort was founded by Lala on February 29th, 2008 and has been growing and evolving ever since, as thousands of survivors contr ...ibute to the project, each in their own way. There are 7,000+ registered members total, with 20-30 of us on forums/chat at any time, making about 150-200 new posts per day; an average thread gets 9.5 responses. Membership is free, anonymous, and offered to anyone over 16yo who has been abused and accepts our terms of service and guidelines. Diversity of experiences paired with strong and clear boundaries makes our conversations interesting, allows us to learn from each other, and offers a smooth transition from isolation to making friends in the "real world". Knowing that you aren't alone, interacting with people who get what it's like, genuinely care, and yet don't disrespect you - is priceless for abuse survivors, and we are proud of being a part of this project.Read More »
For Men, For Women, For LGBT, For Children/Teens, For Elders
Location
International
Connect
Safe Passage
Domestic Violence Resource
How We Help:Our comprehensive services include shelter, 24-hour crisis hotline, peer-support, counseling, education, advocacy, legal support and community education. We have special advocacy support for children, for Latin@s and immigrants, and for people with disabilities. All Safe Passage programs are free, accessible and confidential. We primarily serve adults and children in Hampshire County, Massachusetts.
History:
At Safe Passage, we are committed to ending domestic violence and oppression. We serve people of all genders and no gender wh ...o have been affected by domestic violence. All Safe Passage programs are free, accessible and confidential. Our comprehensive services include shelter, 24-hour crisis hotline, peer-support, counseling, education, advocacy, legal support and community education. We have special advocacy support for children, for Latin@s and immigrants, and for people with disabilities. We primarily serve adults and children in Hampshire County. Safe Passage provides people with the support and information that they need in order to make their own choices to keep themselves and their children safe and to rebuild their lives in the wake of domestic violence. We believe that empowerment is crucial to ending domestic violence and that, through the empowerment of individuals, we can effectively work to change the whole of society. Read More »
For Men, For Women, For LGBT, For Children/Teens, For Elders, Non-profits, Shelters, Legal Help
Location
Northampton, MA
Connect
Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs
Domestic Violence Resource
How We Help:WCSAP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to unite agencies engaged in the elimination of sexual violence, through education, advocacy, victim services, and social change.
History:
The Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (WCSAP) is a non-profit organization that strives to unite agencies engag ...ed in the elimination of sexual violence. WCSAP provides information, training and expertise to program and individual members who support victims, family and friends, the general public, and all those whose lives have been affected by sexual assault. WCSAP is committed to providing equal access to services to all program participants and to treat individuals with fairness, dignity, and respect. WCSAP does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, military status, genetic information, and the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability in the delivery of services.Read More »
For Men, For Women, For LGBT, For Elders, Rape Crisis Centers
Connect
National Council on Child Abuse and Family Violence
Domestic Violence Resource
How We Help: The National Council on Child Abuse and Family Violence (NCCAFV) and its American Campaign provide prevention services by bringing together community and national stakeholders, volunteers and professionals to prevent intergenerational family violence, child abuse and neglect, spouse/partner abuse, and elder abuse and neglect.
History:
NCCAFV is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation serving all fifty states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as a resource ...center on family violence prevention services, providing public education materials, program and resource development consultation, technical assistance and training to agencies and volunteers.
Beginning in 1984, NCCAFV provided a toll-free National Family Violence HelpLine (800) 222-2000 for referral assistance to domestic violence victims and others seeking information relating to child abuse, spouse/partner abuse and elder abuse.
In 1985, NCCAFV formed the National Alliance On Family Violence (NAFV), a network of organizations and professionals concerned about family violence.
Since 1985 until 2010, NCCAFV has served in a leadership roles in the development of the International Forum for Child Welfare (IFCW), a Swiss INGO.
In 1986, NCCAFV launched its first national public awareness campaign with a television spot featuring Oprah Winfrey.
In 1989, NCCAFV's president was chair of the founding meetings of the International Forum for Child Welfare (IFCW) and elected at the founding General Assembly as IFCW's first president (1989-1992).
Since 1991 to present, NCCAFV's current President serves as president of the Child Welfare Fund International, (CWFI). NCCAFV serves as CWFI's Secretariat.
In 1991 and 1992, NCCAFV organized and hosted IFCW's 4th annual WorldForum in September,1992) on the beautiful Monterey Peninsula of California in the USA.
Since 1992, NCCAFV has conducted its AMERICAN CAMPAIGN FOR PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE & FAMILY VIOLENCE through print, radio and television awareness campaigns with its roster of celebrities including Larry Gatlin, Oprah Winfrey, Peter Falk, Barbara Mandrell, Billy Ray Cyrus and Lou Rawls. The Campaign published a series of information booklets entitled Facts About Child Abuse & Neglect, Facts About Domestic Violence and Facts About Family Violence. The information in these booklets is now available on this website.
In 1993, the American Campaign's poster series "Children Should Be Seen And Not Hurt" and "Stop Family Violence" was presented in Cambridge, England with the International Award for Excellence In Media On Behalf Of Children.
NCCAFV prepared the 1995 draft Report to the U.S. Congress on Family Violence under contract to the Federal Government's Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
From 1996 to 1998, NCCAFV's president served on the International Steering Committee and co-chaired the Program Committee of the first World Conference on Family Violence which convened September 1998 in Singapore.
Since 1998 to present, NCCAFV serves as the Secretariat for the International Network on Family Violence (INFV) which was formed in Singapore.
In 2002, NCCAFV's president chaired the program committee for IFCW's 13th annual WorldForum in Honolulu, Hawaii.
From 2001 to 2003, NCCAFV (as INFV's secretariat) organized the Second World Congress on Family Violence (WCFV) in June 2003 in Prague, Czech Republic.
In 2009-2010, NCCAFV's President served on the Steering Committee for IFCW's 21st annual WorldForum in New York City. Read More »
For Men, For Women, For Children/Teens, For Elders, Non-profits
Location
Washington, DC
Connect
National Crime Victim Law Institute
Domestic Violence Resource
How We Help:NCVLI is a section 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal education and advocacy organization whose mission is to actively promote balance and fairness in the justice system through crime victim centered legal advocacy, education, and resource sharing.
History:
NCVLI was conceived in 1997 by Professor Doug Beloof to be a national resource for crime victim lawyers and victims to suppor ...t the assertion and enforcement of victims’ rights in criminal and civil processes. In 1998, United States Senators Jon Kyl, Dianne Feinstein, Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith supported the first appropriation of Congress to provide financial support for NCVLI.
Our Tools:
Legal Advocacy. We pair crime victims with free attorneys who fight to secure their rights. We do this through our national network of legal clinics and our National Alliance of Victims’ Rights Attorneys (NAVRA). We also ensure that every attorney and advocate can make the best arguments for the victims they serve by providing them with legal technical assistance in the form of legal research, writing, and strategic consultation. In addition, we file amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs in victims’ rights cases nationwide.
Training & Education. We train nationwide on the meaning, scope, and enforceability of victims’ rights through practical skills courses, online webinars, and teleconferences. We also host the only conference in the country focused on victim law. Our audiences include attorneys, judges, advocates, law enforcement, law students, and victims.
Public Policy. We work with partners nationwide to secure the next wave of victims’ rights legislation that guarantees victims substantive rights and the procedural mechanisms to secure those rights. We provide model legislation, and testify when called upon. Read More »
How We Help:The mission of the National Center for Victims of Crime is to forge a national commitment to help victims of crime rebuild their lives. We are dedicated to serving individuals, families, and communities harmed by crime.
History:
The National Center for Victims of Crime's vision emerged from one family's tragedy: in 1985, Ala Isham and Alexander Auerspe ...rg established the National Center for Victims of Crime, originally the Sunny Von Bulow National Victim Advocacy Center. Motivated by their mother's victimization and their family's traumatic experience with the criminal justice system, our founders believed it was fundamentally wrong that crime victims were often shut out of and "revictimized" by the very system that was supposed to help them. They wanted to redefine what justice for crime victims means by giving them a voice in the criminal justice system.
Since those early days, the National Center for Victims of Crime has become the nation's leading resource and advocacy organization for victims of all types of crime and for the people who serve them. We have played a critical role in shaping the national discussion on the impact of crime and what victims need in order to recover.
We have enabled more people -- elected officials, policy makers, business leaders, law enforcement officers, judges, media representatives, educators, healthcare providers -- to understand that justice for victims involves more than holding offenders accountable for their crimes. It involves providing victims full participation in the criminal justice process and the means to overcome the physical, emotional, and financial consequences of crime. At the National Center for Victims of Crime, we call this concept parallel justice. Simple fairness. Read More »
American Bar Association Commission On Domestic & Sexual Violence
Domestic Violence Resource
How We Help:For two decades the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence has focused on policy initiatives and training for lawyers who represent victims of domestic & sexual violence. The Commission’s work has been guided by the understanding that skilled legal assistance is essential to successful intervention for victims and accountability for perpetrators.
History:
For 20 years, the Commission has conducted trainings to better equip lawyers to assist victims of domestic and sexual violenc ...e, provided legal resources to support lawyers who represent victims, connected lawyers with local organizations through the National Domestic Violence Pro Bono Directory, which is run by the Commission, and developed important policies that have been adopted by the ABA House of Delegates.
Our work crosses practice areas to address the learning needs of lawyers representing victims in a multitude of cases, including family law, criminal law, immigration law, child welfare law & juvenile justice, employment law, housing law, tribal law and torts. The Commission provides lawyers with the resources they need to be more effective skilled advocates for victims, including one-on-one consultation on cases, local and national interactive litigation training, best practices manuals and webinars, Standards of Practice, development of policy supporting access to justice for victims, expert identification, networking opportunities and other critical support and resources. Read More »
How We Help:The NSVRC’s Mission is to provide leadership in preventing and responding to sexual violence through collaboration, sharing and creating resources, and promoting research.
History:
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) opened in July 2000 as a national information and resource hub relating ...to all aspects of sexual violence. Founded by the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, the oldest and one of the largest state sexual assault coalitions, the NSVRC is funded through a cooperative agreement from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Violence Prevention.
The NSVRC staff collects and disseminates a wide range of resources on sexual violence including statistics, research, position statements, statutes, training curricula, prevention initiatives and program information. With these resources, the NSVRC assists coalitions, advocates and others interested in understanding and eliminating sexual violence. The NSVRC has an active and diverse Advisory Council that assists and advises staff and ensures a broad national perspective. The NSVRC also enjoys a strong partnership with state, territory and tribal anti-sexual assault coalitions and allied organizations.
In addition to tracking resources developed throughout the country, the NSVRC publishes a newsletter, The Resource, issues press releases and talking points on current events and coordinates an annual national sexual assault awareness month (SAAM) campaign in April. Additionally, the NSVRC develops original resources to help bridge information gaps, such as conducting research and analysis of underserved populations.
The NSVRC does not provide direct services to sexual assault victims but rather supports those who do, such as coalitions, rape crisis centers, national, state and local agencies and allied programs. The NSVRC refers requests for direct victim’s services to the appropriate state coalition and/or to a local program conveniently located to the caller. A caller looking for services may also access and search the location and phone numbers of state and territory coalitions on this website.Read More »
