Help now

If you are in danger now

• Call 911 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.
• Go to a safe place, such as a neighbor, a friend or a public place with other people around.

Talking to someone

Hotline advocates listen without judgment. They can help you think through options, make a safety plan and find local support. You do not need to be sure it is "abuse" to call. Not sure? Read Is this abuse?

Staying safe online

If someone checks your phone or computer, they may be able to see that you visited this page.

• Private browsing: use a private window (Safari Private Browsing, Chrome Incognito or Firefox Private Window) so pages are not saved to history.
• Safari: open History, then Clear History, and choose a time range.
• Chrome: open the menu, then Delete browsing data, and choose a time range.
• Firefox: open History, then Clear recent history.
• Quick exit: the Quick exit button on this page, or the Escape key, takes you to a weather site. It cannot erase your history, so clear it as well if needed.
• If you think your devices are being monitored, use a safer device, such as a friend's phone or a library computer.

Why we don't recommend couples work when there is abuse

Couples counseling, communication techniques and relationship apps assume both partners feel safe and share power. Abuse is about one person controlling another, so these approaches can make things more dangerous. The National Domestic Violence Hotline (external site) advises that couples counseling is not recommended for abusive relationships and suggests speaking with an advocate instead.

Outside the US

Call your local emergency number. To find a free helpline in your country, use the Find A Helpline directory (external site), an independent external directory.