If One Is Experiencing Domestic Violence, How Do They Find Help?

One of the ways to start is to have the courage to reach out and call the National Domestic Violence Hotline. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is actually connected to about 5000 domestic violence programs and shelters, all across the country. So if we get a call from someone, we are able to then connect them specifically to a shelter program in their area and give them the help that they need to get out of that situation. Sometimes we don't necessarily tell them that they need to go to shelter or sometimes they don't want to shelter. There are several reasons why women can't just pick up and leave; they have kids or they are not financially stable or it just not feasible at the time. So in those situations, we also help form a safety plan with them and that basically means creating a plan of safety for them that allows them to get the help they need. Maybe down the road we'll figure out a way to get out of that situation.