Move toward safety

If possible, go to a safe public place, trusted person, police station, hospital, community service, shelter, workplace, school office, or somewhere you are not alone.

Contact urgent help

Call emergency services if there is immediate danger. If it is not safe to speak, use text, chat, emergency text options, or ask someone trusted to call for you.

Protect your privacy

If someone monitors your phone, browser, email, location, or messages, use a safer device if you can. Clear history only if safe to do so.

It may include

• Threats, intimidation, coercion, or blackmail
• Stalking, harassment, or unwanted contact
• Violence, abuse, assault, or unsafe home situations
• Being trapped, followed, watched, or monitored
• Someone controlling money, documents, transport, medication, or communication
• Legal threats, exploitation, discrimination, or fear of authorities
• Feeling unable to leave safely or ask for help

When it is urgent

• You are in danger now
• Someone has a weapon or has threatened harm
• You are being followed or trapped
• You are being forced to do something unsafe
• A child, disabled person, older person, or dependent is at risk
• You feel unable to stay safe
• You need urgent medical care or protection

Gentle content notice

This page mentions threats, harassment, stalking, abuse, violence, legal worries, personal safety, police, emergency support, and protection pathways. Please pause if it feels heavy.

If safe, keep records

• Dates, times, locations, and what happened
• Messages, emails, voicemails, screenshots, photos, or call logs
• Names of witnesses or support people
• Police, medical, workplace, school, or service reference numbers

Use safer storage

• Save copies somewhere the unsafe person cannot access
• Use a trusted person’s device or email if needed
• Do not keep evidence on a monitored phone if that increases risk
• Ask an advocate or legal service how to document safely

Your safety comes first

Do not collect evidence if it puts you in more danger. Getting to safety matters more than proving everything immediately.

What can help

• Believe them and listen without judgement.
• Ask what feels safest right now.
• Help them contact emergency services, legal aid, victim support, or crisis support.
• Offer transport, phone access, a safe place, or help documenting what happened.
• Respect privacy and do not share details without consent unless someone is in immediate danger.

What to avoid

• Do not confront the unsafe person yourself.
• Do not pressure them to report before they are ready unless immediate safety requires urgent action.
• Do not blame them for staying, leaving, freezing, returning, or needing time.
• Do not promise secrecy if someone is at serious risk of harm.

Helpful phrase

“I believe you. Your safety matters. We can take this one step at a time.”

Small wins count

• Telling one safe person
• Saving one important number
• Moving to a safer place
• Charging your phone
• Writing down what happened
• Asking for legal or advocacy help

You do not need to solve everything today

In a safety crisis, the first goal is not a perfect long-term plan. The first goal is getting through the next step as safely as possible.

You have rights

You deserve protection, privacy, dignity, and support that respects your needs, culture, communication style, disability, identity, and situation.

New Zealand / Aotearoa

• Emergency: 111
• Police non-emergency: 105
• Victim Support: 0800 842 846
• Women’s Refuge: 0800 733 843
• Shine: 0508 744 633
• Community Law: legal information and local legal help
• Healthline: 0800 611 116

Australia

• Emergency: 000
• 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
• Lifeline: 13 11 14
• Legal Aid: check your state or territory Legal Aid service
• Ask Izzy: find local support, housing, food, legal and safety services

United States

• Emergency: 911
• 988 Lifeline: call, text, or chat 988
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
• RAINN: 1-800-656-4673
• 2-1-1: local community, shelter, legal and safety referrals in many areas

Canada

• Emergency: 911
• 9-8-8 Canada: call or text crisis support
• Victim services: search provincial or territorial victim services
• Legal Aid: check your province or territory legal aid service
• 211 Canada: local social, legal, safety and community services

United Kingdom

• Emergency: 999 or 112
• Police non-emergency: 101
• Samaritans: 116 123
• Citizens Advice: rights and legal guidance
• National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247
• Victim Support: support after crime

International / Global

• Find a Helpline: search by country and topic
• Red Cross / Red Crescent: local crisis and emergency support where available
• UNHCR Help: support pathways for refugees and displaced people
• Local legal aid, victim support, police, shelters, advocacy services, and community organisations

Text or chat support

Text and webchat can be easier when speaking feels unsafe, overwhelming, or not possible.

Communication access

For AAC, typing, writing, yes/no answers, interpreters, plain language, or extra processing time.

Privacy and safer access

For device monitoring, unsafe shared phones, low-tech options, digital privacy, and safer ways to ask for help.

Crisis Support by Topic

Explore all crisis topic support pathways.

Crisis Support by Location

Find help in your country or region.

Abuse & Domestic Violence

If you are unsafe at home, controlled, threatened, or harmed.

Sexual Abuse & Assault Support

For assault, coercion, exploitation, or unsafe sexual situations.

Homelessness & Housing Crisis

For unsafe housing, emergency shelter, eviction, or nowhere safe to stay.

Accessibility-Specific Crisis Support

For communication, sensory, disability, cultural, digital, privacy, or access barriers.