If someone you care about is a survivor, you can make an enormous difference in her or his life.

• Call the statewide Hotlines for information, and for support for yourself:
• Domestic Violence 800-228-7395;
• Sexual Violence 800-489-7273

• Maintain confidentiality – this can be crucial for an individual’s safety on many levels.

• Believe the victim, and help her/him access resources without pressuring or judging.

• Say “It’s not your fault.  You don’t/didn’t deserve to be treated this way/to be raped/etc.” 

• Let them know that they are not alone – that many people have had similar experiences.

• Encourage her/him to call a hotline. 

• Remember that what may seem like a “solution” to you may make things worse for a survivor: sometimes staying with a batterer or choosing not to report sexual or domestic violence to law enforcement can be the safest options.

• Remember that victims are weighing risks to physical safety, but also risks to children, to employment, to family and friends, to stable housing, etc.  A decision that may not make sense to you may be completely logical given the reality of a survivor’s life.