How to get help

If you are worried about your relationship or your safety, there is help and support available.

I am in danger right now / someone I know is in danger

Call 000 for emergency assistance.

I am worried my relationship is abusive / I want to leave my relationship / I need advice on my safety/ I want to help someone who I am worried about

You can call 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) to speak with a counsellor, or if you or someone you know is in crisis, call the Domestic Violence Crisis Line on 1800 800 098. They are both free to call in South Australia, and operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you call the Domestic Violence Crisis Line you can expect that you will:

be listened to and believed
have your options explained
get to make your own decisions about what is best for you and your family
be connected with a safe telephone interpreter if you need one

This service can:

Support you to make a plan about you and your children’s safety, whether you are in a relationship, thinking about separating, or have already separated
Organise a safe place for you and your children/pets to stay if you are unsafe where you are currently staying
Give you information about services, financial help or other resources

I want to talk to someone about how I’m feeling/I want some advice / I’m not sure what I need but would like to talk

Contact 1800RESPECT, the national sexual assault and domestic violence telephone counselling service on 1800 737 732. You can also chat to them online here

I am a migrant woman and English isn’t my first language / I am assisting a migrant woman

You can call 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) to speak with a counsellor, or chat to them online here. They are free to call and operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They can organise a safe telephone interpreter, just let the person know what language you require.

You can also contact Women’s Safety Services SA Migrant Women’s Support Program on 8152 9260 during business hours. This service can provide you with advice and support about your situation. It has multi-cultural and multi-lingual workers to help you.

If you are not a permanent resident and would like some legal information about your VISA and rights to stay in Australia if you separate due to domestic and family violence – you can contact the Migration team at the Legal Service Commission on 8111 553.

I am an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander woman / I am assisting an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander woman

You can call 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) to speak with a counsellor, or chat to them online here. They are free to call and operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If English is not your first language – you can ask for an interpreter.

There are also Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific domestic and family violence services that can help you and your family, including help to find a safe place to stay. You can get connected to these services by contacting the Domestic Violence Crisis Line 1800 800 098.

Some other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services you may find helpful include:

Nunkuwarrin Yunti Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service 8406 1600

KWY Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Services 8377 7822

I want to know more about my partner or ex partner’s history / I want to know more about the partner or ex-partner of a family member or friend

South Australia’s Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) provides a way for a person who may be at risk of domestic violence to get information about their partner or former partner, to help make decisions about their safety and the future of the relationship.

A request for information can be made by either:

the person who is feeling unsafe in their relationship
a person concerned about the welfare of someone they know.

Apply online on SA Police website or if you need assistance filling out the form, go to your local police station.

I am a part of the LGBTIQ+ community

You can call 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) to speak with a counsellor, or chat to them online here. They are free to call and operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also find more information here.

WSSSA is committed to providing safe and inclusive services that are respectful to all within the LGBTIQ+ communities.

I am thinking about leaving an abusive relationship but don’t want to leave my pet

There is help available for both you and your pet. There is now emergency safe accommodation that allows you to bring your pets with you. You can talk through your situation with 1800RESPECT, the national sexual assault and domestic violence telephone counselling service on 1800 737 732. You can also chat to them online here.

You can also call Women’s Safety Services SA’s Domestic Violence Crisis Line 1800 800 098, and they can help you work out a plan that helps keep both you and your pets safe.

Safe Pets Safe Families, is a charity in South Australia that helps people and their pets who are experiencing domestic and family violence, and can also offer support.