Abuse prevention and intervention require accessible, reliable resources. Whether you’re a teen, parent, or educator, this guide offers tools, hotlines, and actionable advice to help recognize, prevent, and address abuse effectively.
Immediate help:
Table of Contents
- National Domestic Violence Hotline:
If you or someone you know is in danger or needs confidential support, call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788. You can also chat online at https://www.thehotline.org/. Advocates are available 24/7 to provide assistance, create safety plans, and connect you with resources.
Teens: Abuse Resources for Teens
Teens face unique challenges when it comes to recognizing and addressing abuse. Below are resources designed specifically for teens, providing guidance, tools, and support to navigate difficult situations safely.
Understanding healthy relationships:
- Love Is Respect: Offers information, quizzes, and a relationship spectrum guide.
- One Love Foundation: Features educational videos and tools to identify healthy vs. unhealthy behaviors.
- Trevor Project: Resources for healthy LGBTQ+ relationships.
- 15 Qualities of Healthy Relationships
Recognizing abuse:
- Dating Violence: Understanding Signs and Seeking Help
- Know the Warning Signs of Abuse to Protect Yourself and Others
- LGBTQIA+ Relationships and Dating Violence
- National Domestic Violence Hotline ⏐ Identify Abuse: Guidance on spotting warning signs in a relationship.
- RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): Facts on emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, plus confidential support.
Getting help:
- How to Document Abuse and Prove Domestic Violence
- Love Is Respect Hotline
- Call: 1-866-331-9474
- Text: Text “LOVEIS” to 22522
- Online Chat: Available on the website
- Anti-Violence Project: LGBTQ+ Crisis Support and Safety Planning
- Crisis Text Line
- Text “HOME” to 741741 for 24/7 support
- Planned Parenthood ⏐ Relationships: Guidance on talking to a trusted adult and finding local services.
- YWCA: Local programs and workshops for prevention and intervention.
Online and mobile resources:
- Aspire News App: A disguised app with resources and quick-exit options.
- myPlan App: Helps you assess the health and safety of your relationship and then guides you in creating a personalized safety plan.
- Noonlight: Originally designed for general personal safety, Noonlight’s simple interface lets you hold down a button if you feel unsafe. If you release it and don’t enter a pin, local emergency services are alerted.
Educational programs:
- Safe Futures Teen Dating Violence Prevention Program: Offers school and community presentations for teens, providing strategies to recognize, prevent, and address dating violence.
- One Love Foundation’s Workshops & Escalation Film: Uses short films and discussion guides to help teens identify signs of unhealthy relationships and start important conversations.
- Expect Respect Program: Delivers interactive sessions in schools and youth groups, focusing on building relationship skills and challenging harmful gender norms.
- Start Strong: Integrates pop culture analysis with lessons on healthy communication and respect, targeting younger teens with media literacy activities.
- SafeBAE (Safe Before Anyone Else): Created by teen survivors, this initiative uses videos, social media, and peer ambassadors to teach consent, boundary-setting, and bystander intervention.
Legal guidance:
- Child Welfare Information Gateway: State-specific information on legal protections for minors.
- Futures Without Violence: Legal rights and steps for reporting abuse or seeking protective orders.
Parents: Abuse Resources for Parents
Spotting signs of teen dating violence:
- A Parent’s Guide to Identifying and Preventing Teen Dating Violence
- National Domestic Violence Hotline – Warning Signs for Parents: Offers guidance on how to recognize early indicators of an abusive relationship, including changes in mood, behavior, or communication patterns.
- Love Is Respect ⏐ For Parents: Shares tips on identifying subtle signs of controlling or harmful behaviors in your teen’s partner.
Talking to teens about abuse:
- Futures Without Violence ⏐ How to Talk to Teens: Offers conversation starters, scripts, and advice to help parents discuss healthy relationships and the importance of respect and consent.
- Planned Parenthood ⏐ Parent Resources: Supplies guidance on initiating open, honest conversations with your teen, helping them understand what a healthy relationship looks like.
- One Love Foundation ⏐ Conversation Guides: Provides video content and talking points to make discussions more relatable and less awkward.
- A Parent’s Guide to Identifying and Preventing Teen Dating Violence
Parental support and counseling resources:
- National Parent Helpline: Confidential support by trained advocates who can listen, guide you through challenging situations, and provide referrals.
- Crisis Text Line (for parents): Text “HOME” to 741741 to connect with trained counselors 24/7 if you feel overwhelmed, need help understanding your teen’s situation, or want guidance on next steps.
Additional resources for parents:
- Child Welfare Information Gateway: Provides state-specific legal and policy information, plus resources for recognizing and responding to abuse within the family.
- Futures Without Violence: Offers comprehensive information on prevention strategies, family-focused solutions, and ways to engage schools and communities in supporting healthy teen relationships.
Educators: Abuse Resources for Educators
Identifying abuse in school settings:
- U.S. Department of Education ⏐ Safe and Supportive Schools: Offers research-based guidance on recognizing warning signs of abuse, bullying, and other harmful behaviors.
- Child Welfare Information Gateway ⏐ Resources: Provides fact sheets and warning sign checklists to help teachers identify potential abuse or neglect.
Creating a safe classroom environment:
- Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance): Gives practical strategies to create inclusive and supportive learning environments where students feel safe to share concerns.
- Futures Without Violence ⏐ Resources: Offers lesson plans and toolkits to help integrate respect, empathy, and healthy relationship values into the curriculum.
Training in handling disclosures of abuse:
- RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) ⏐ Educator Training: Provides guidelines and training materials on responding to student disclosures of sexual abuse and connecting them with appropriate support.
- National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN): Offers resources specifically designed for school personnel to understand trauma, respond to disclosures, and create trauma-informed classrooms.
Other Useful Resources for Abuse
Community and legal resources:
- Find Local Domestic Violence Services (via National Domestic Violence Hotline): Use the “Find Local Help” tool to connect with community-based organizations, advocacy groups, and shelters.
- Futures Without Violence – Resources: Supplies information on legal rights, protections, and steps educators can share with families seeking legal help.
Crisis hotlines and emergency services:
- National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-SAFE): 24/7 confidential support for those experiencing abuse.
- Crisis Text Line (Text “HOME” to 741741): Accessible for immediate emotional support and crisis intervention.
Conclusion
Prevention, recognition, and informed interventions are essential for addressing abuse. Reliable hotlines, educational programs, and community support empower teens, parents, and educators to foster healthy relationships, ensure safety, and guide individuals toward secure futures.
Please see our relationship abuse anthology for further resources and literature.
FAQs
Who can help in cases of violence?
In cases of violence, help can come from law enforcement, hotlines, shelters, healthcare providers, and advocacy groups. They offer immediate support, safety planning, emotional assistance, legal guidance, and referrals, enabling victims to document abuse, secure protection, access critical resources, and move forward toward recovery.
What are four strategies for preventing abuse?
Four strategies for preventing abuse include early education on respectful relationships, encouraging open dialogue, promoting bystander intervention, and fostering equality-based programs. Implementing these approaches reduces risks, strengthens communities, and nurtures environments where healthy, non-violent behaviors become the norm.
What measures can you take to help a child that has been abused?
Measures to help a child that has been abused involve ensuring their immediate safety, reporting the situation to child protective services, seeking professional counseling, and providing stable support. These steps foster healing, restore trust, and guide them toward long-term well-being.
How do people recover from abuse?
To recover from abuse, individuals often pursue trauma-focused therapy, join support groups, utilize coping strategies, and seek resources to rebuild confidence. Over time, these methods help survivors process their experiences, regain emotional stability, and establish healthier patterns for future relationships.
