National DV Hotline 800-799-7233, Free, Confidential, 24/7
If you are facing domestic violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233), staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with information in more than 170 languages. The U.S. Office on Women’s Health help page says the resources it lists are free and confidential.
When you call, you will hear a recording first and may have to wait a short time; staff can help with safety planning and crisis help, and can connect you to local shelters and services. This article follows the Office on Women’s Health help page: three national hotlines, plus how to stay safe while looking things up online.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
The Office on Women’s Health explains (womenshealth.gov Get help):
- Phone: 800-799-SAFE (7233), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Languages: information is available in more than 170 languages.
- A recording first: you will hear a recording and may have to wait a short time.
- How they help: safety planning and crisis help, and connecting you to local shelters and services; staff can also send written information on topics such as domestic violence, sexual assault and the legal system.
- If you can’t talk on the phone: you can email or use live chat through the hotline’s contact page.
Two more national hotlines
- National Dating Abuse Helpline: 866-331-9474, TDD 866-331-8453, staffed 24 hours; live online chat from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Eastern; you can also email, or text “loveis” to 22522.
- National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-4673, staffed 24 hours; the recording asks whether you prefer English or Spanish and whether you want to speak with staff. You can also get live online help in English or Spanish through the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline.
Staying safe online
- Leave the page fast: the Office on Women’s Health help page has an escape button; if your abuser may see you reading it, press it to leave right away.
- History can’t be fully cleared: anyone with access to your phone or computer can check which websites you visit, and your internet history can’t be cleared completely from a computer or phone.
- Use another device: you can use a public computer, such as at a library, or a friend’s phone.
For a medical emergency, the Office on Women’s Health site says to call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For which emergency number to call, see Call 911 in Emergencies, 988 for Mental Health, 211 for Help; for getting official emergency alerts on your phone, see Phone Emergency Alerts Are Free, Some Phones Need Them On.
What this article doesn’t cover
- Immigration status: the page doesn’t mention immigration status, so this article doesn’t either and draws no conclusions.
- Chinese-speaking staff: the page only says more than 170 languages and doesn’t list them, so this article doesn’t say whether Chinese is available.
- Legal questions: the page only says the hotline can send written information on the legal system; it doesn’t explain protection orders, custody or similar issues, so this article doesn’t either.
FAQ
Does calling cost anything? Will anyone find out?
The Office on Women’s Health help page says the resources it lists are free and confidential.
Is someone there in the middle of the night?
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; you will hear a recording first and may have to wait a short time.
Can I call if my English isn’t good?
The hotline offers information in more than 170 languages; the page doesn’t list which ones.
What if I can’t talk on the phone?
You can email or use live chat through the hotline’s contact page; the National Dating Abuse Helpline also takes texts: send “loveis” to 22522.
Sources and date checked
All checked on 2026-11-01.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health, Get help (page updated 2025-09-26):https://www.womenshealth.gov/relationships-and-safety/get-help