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Resources if You Are in an Abusive Relationship


When someone is in an abusive relationship, it is easy to feel alone and like there is no help or hope. Sometimes people simply do not know where to look. While calling 9-1-1 seems to be the most likely solution (and something I highly support), The Hotline did a survey of abused women which stated that 4/5 women were afraid of calling the police. Some areas-- such as that of the Pickens County Georgia Sheriff's Office and the State of Tennessee-- are trying to lessen that fear by releasing videos such as the two shared here.

However, there are other places to reach out to or to use for help if you are one of those 4/5 that does not want to involve the police. The Hotline is one of the best resources for victims of domestic/intimate abuse, along with its sister site Love is Respect which is aimed more towards teenagers and young adults, as well as parents and friends of those that may be involved in an abusive relationship. Both of these websites have online chat available as well as the numbers to their hotlines-- and the best part, these websites have quick exit by pressing certain keys on the keyboard. Both The Hotline and Love is Respect offer several resources to look through, and I highly recommend either of them if you need help.

JoinOneLove.org is an incredible foundation that believes everyone deserves a healthy relationship and takes action by educating young people about healthy and unhealthy relationships. The reason I bring this foundation up is because of their app-- the MyPlan App that is available for both Android and iPhone. This app is specifically designed to help women determine if they or their friends are in an unsafe relationship. It can be used to learn facts about abuse and assess the situation you are in, and there is the 'Planning Tool' which uses different factors to help suggest a step by step plan of action. It shows different strategies of removing oneself from the situation altogether. This app is anonymous and pin protected, but in some cases it may be best to remove it from your phone after use.

When Georgia Smiled is a foundation created by Robin McGraw. This website offers several hotlines and website sources for more specific groups (such as Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network), as well as the Aspire Curriculum which  'is a FREE domestic violence education curriculum aiming to reduce the level of intimate relationship violence in the U.S., and instill the importance of bystander responsibility, from prevention to safe exit strategies.' This is something I really want to look further into myself! But my favorite part of When Georgia Smiled is the Aspire News App, which is another Android/iPhone app for victims in situations of domestic/intimate abuse, and was voted one of the two “best apps for domestic violence prevention” last year. 

I think it is important to point out that between all of these websites, hotlines, and apps, one reminder is ever present-- they are not a replacement for emergency services. If you are in immediate trouble or danger, do not be afraid to pick up the phone and dial 9-1-1. 

If you know any organization (scouts, church, etc.) that would like to have me speak on Teen Dating Abuse, please contact me through my website here with your email address. To keep up with updates on this blog please feel free to hit the subscribe button in the top right corner to be alerted to new posts every Monday. Have something you would like to know more about in the future? Leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer right away! Remember, the first step in solving the problem of teen dating abuse is awareness!
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