• 24-hour hotline
• Safehome or shelter
• Transportation
• Court Advocacy & Legal Support
• Criminal Justice Support
• Financial and Personal Advocacy
• Hospital Advocacy
• Children Services
• Information, Education, Referrals
• Support Groups
• Substance Abuse Education

Click Here to find your local Program

Hotline

Sexual Violence:

1-800-489-RAPE (7273)

Domestic Violence:

1-800-ABUSE-95 (228-7395)

Each Program staffs a 24/7 hotline for crisis intervention counseling, support, and referrals. Crisis workers meet abuse and rape victims at police stations, hospital emergency rooms or court houses to offer in-person support.

Safehomes and Shelters

Safehomes are rooms in volunteers’ homes where victims and their children may stay for short periods. The shelters provide a safe place for victims to stay for up to 4 weeks. Some Programs offer transitional housing.

Transportation

Advocates can help get you where you need to go. Need a ride to court, to the hospital, to shelter, to a job interview, the welfare office.... Member Program Advocates can help get you there.

Legal Support

Trained staff and volunteers provide legal support in the form of information about the legal process, and accompany the victim through it.

Criminal Justice Support

Advocates provide support and necessary explanations as well as transportation and child care during law enforcement investigations and court appearances.

Financial and Personal Advocacy

Services may include: locating emergency loans for food, medicine and clothing; assistance in filing for workers’ compensation, unemployment, welfare and Medicaid; making victims aware of the Victim Compensation Program as well as aiding them in gathering needed documentation and making applications; intervention with employers, landlords, creditors and others as well as assisting victims in securing rights and services form other agencies.

Hospital

Advocates can meet you at the hospital after an assualt or rape to provide services and help inform you about your options. Ask the hospital staff to contact the local domestic or sexual violence program.

Children’s Services

In addition to counseling, the focus of many children’s groups is the prevention of the intergenerational cycle of abuse through teaching conflict resolution skills. While mothers are in counseling or are seeking medical, judicial, legal and social services, the Programs provide formal child care.

Information, Education, Refferals

Vermont's 16 Member Programs provide refferals to other services, education to schools and groups within the local community, and information for individuals interested knowing more. Contact your local program.

Non-crisis Counseling and Support Groups– The Programs offer initial and repeat crisis intervention, individual follow-up counseling over the phone or in person, and support groups. Peer counseling groups involving other physically and sexually abused persons and survivors offer victims the chance to meet others in similar situations, share open dialogue and develop friendship/support systems.

Substance Abuse Education– The use of alcohol and drugs as self-medication for feelings of anxiety, isolation, depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome is a well-known reaction to victimization. Substance abuse education and counseling is an important component of services offered by many Programs.