Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, and High Conflict Divorce Resources
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Find domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, legal, and safety resources in Dallas and across Texas.
Sometimes the hardest part of asking for help is figuring out where to start.
When we are experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, coercive behavior, or a high conflict separation, our brains may struggle with planning, executing, and decision making. Trying to sort through dozens of websites, hotlines, legal services, safety planning tools, and community organizations can become one more impossible task for a woman trying to leave an abusive situation.
So, I have been collecting resources over the past few years.
This is not meant to be a checklist of everything someone “should” do. We do not need to call every hotline, read every website, or have a perfectly organized exit plan before we are allowed to ask for help.
This is simply a place to start with references, guides, and information.
A quick safety note: If someone may be monitoring our phone, computer, browser history, email, or other devices, accessing resources online can sometimes create additional risk. The National Domestic Violence Hotline and Safety Net Project both provide information about technology safety and safer ways to seek support.
If there is an immediate or life threatening emergency, call 911.
Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Support
If We Need Somewhere to Start
The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides confidential support and information for people affected by domestic violence.
Call: 1 800 799 SAFE (7233)
Text: START to 88788
The Hotline also maintains a directory of local domestic violence providers for people looking for services in their own communities.
For sexual assault support, RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline.
Call: 800 656 HOPE
Text: HOPE to 64673
RAINN also has a directory of local sexual assault service providers.
Dallas and North Texas Domestic Violence Resources
For those of us in the Dallas area, we also have local organizations that provide crisis support, shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, safety planning, and other services.
Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support
Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support provides free and confidential services for women and children experiencing domestic violence in the Dallas area. Services are available in English and Spanish and include a 24 hour helpline, emergency shelter, counseling, advocacy, occupational therapy, and legal services.
24 Hour Helpline: Call or text 214 946 HELP (4357)
We do not have to be ready to leave a relationship before calling. The helpline can be used to ask questions, talk through safety concerns, create a safety plan, and learn about available services.
Genesis also operates Genesis at Lucas, its nonresidential facility at 2023 Lucas Drive in Dallas, where clients can access services without staying in the emergency shelter. The location offers counseling, advocacy, legal services, occupational therapy, and childcare during appointments.
The Family Place
The Family Place provides free and confidential services for survivors of domestic and family violence in the Dallas area. Services include emergency shelter, crisis counseling, safety planning, legal advocacy, supervised visitation, children’s programs, and transitional housing. Services are available in English and Spanish.
24 Hour Crisis Hotline: 214 941 1991
The hotline can help with safety planning, accessing emergency shelter, transportation to shelter, counseling, legal resources, and figuring out what options are available. Calling does not mean we have to leave immediately or make a particular decision about the relationship.
The Family Place also offers individual and group counseling and case management for adult and child survivors at locations including its Collin County Counseling Center, which makes this an especially relevant resource for people in the North Dallas and Collin County area.
If We Are Experiencing Stalking
The Stalking Prevention, Awareness & Resource Center (SPARC) provides education, resources, and tools related to stalking.
Their What to Do If You Are Being Stalked guide is a useful starting point for understanding stalking behaviors and available options.
If We Are Worried About Technology or Digital Safety
Abuse and stalking do not only happen in person. Phones, shared accounts, location services, smart home devices, social media, and other technology can become part of the problem.
The Safety Net Project from the National Network to End Domestic Violence focuses specifically on technology safety for survivors.
Additional information is available through the National Network to End Domestic Violence.
If We Are Trying to Understand Our Level of Risk
The Danger Assessment is a tool designed to help assess the risk of lethal violence in an abusive intimate relationship.
A tool cannot make safety decisions for us, but it may help identify risk factors that deserve attention and support from a trained professional or advocate.
For additional survivor resources, the Joyful Heart Foundation provides information related to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse.
RESPOND also maintains resources related to domestic violence and abuse.
Domestic Violence and the Workplace
For people dealing with abuse while also trying to navigate employment, Workplaces Respond offers resources addressing domestic and sexual violence, harassment, and stalking in the workplace.
Texas Legal and Advocacy Resources
Knowing that something is wrong and knowing what our legal options are are two very different things.
These organizations may be useful for Texans seeking advocacy, information, or legal assistance related to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and related concerns.
Texas Advocacy Project
Texas Advocacy Project offers free legal services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
Call: 800 374 HOPE
Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault
Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault provides free and confidential legal services to survivors of sexual assault.
Call: 844 303 SAFE (7233), Option 1
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid provides free legal services to eligible people experiencing a variety of civil legal issues.
Call: 956 996 TRLA (8752)
Texas Legal Services Center
Texas Legal Services Center provides legal advice, advocacy, representation, and education to underserved Texans.
Texas Association Against Sexual Assault
The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault provides education and resources related to sexual violence throughout Texas.
Their website includes a resource library and a Texas crisis center locator.
TAASA has also developed an implementation guide for sexual assault advocate accompaniment for law enforcement.
SAFE Alliance
SAFE Alliance provides confidential support related to domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and child abuse.
Call: 512 267 SAFE (7233)
Human Trafficking Resources
The National Human Trafficking Hotline provides support and resources related to potential human trafficking situations.
Call: 1 888 373 7888
TTY: 711
Text: 233733
Additional organizations in my resource collection include Refuge for Women, Rescue Her, Valiant Hearts, New Friends New Life, and the Sheltered Alliance referral system.
High Conflict Divorce and Separation Resources
Leaving a difficult or abusive relationship does not necessarily end the conflict.
Separation, divorce, custody issues, financial entanglement, and ongoing communication can create an entirely new set of challenges. When abuse or coercive control is involved, generic advice about “healthy co-parenting” or “better communication” may not fit the situation.
High Conflict Divorce Education
Life Saving Divorce provides faith based information and resources related to difficult and high conflict divorce.
High Conflict Institute, founded by lawyer, mediator, and licensed therapist Bill Eddy, provides education about managing high conflict disputes and relationships.
Attorney Rebecca Zung also publishes educational content focused on high conflict divorce through her YouTube channel and Facebook page.
Fresh Starts Registry also maintains free resources for people navigating major relationship transitions.
We Do Not Have to Know Exactly What to Call It Before We Ask for Help
Sometimes we know something is wrong long before we have language for what is happening.
We may still be wondering whether it “counts.”
We may be comparing our experience to someone else's and convincing ourselves that it is not bad enough.
We may be worried about what happens if we tell someone.
We may simply not know what we want to do yet.
We do not have to have all of those answers before reaching out for support.
A hotline, advocate, attorney, sexual assault organization, domestic violence program, or therapist can be one part of building a larger support system.
And asking for information does not obligate us to make a particular decision about our relationship.
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Domestic Violence Awareness is a cause near to my heart. If you are able, please consider donating to Genesis Women’s Shelter: https://www.genesisshelter.org/donate
If you are in Texas and looking for a therapist to help you process what you have experienced, rebuild trust in yourself, work through burnout and overfunctioning, or figure out what comes next, I offer virtual individual therapy throughout Texas.
Schedule a free consultation with Sage Holistic Counseling