If you are experiencing abuse in Texas, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. It runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it is the crisis line the Texas Health and Human Services Commission directs survivors to.1Texas Health and Human Services. Family Violence Program If a phone call is not safe, text START to 88788 or use the live chat at thehotline.org.2National Domestic Violence Hotline. Domestic Violence Support If you are in immediate physical danger, call 911 first.
The Numbers To Call
Texas does not operate its own standalone crisis line. The state relies on two numbers, both of which route callers to local programs:
- National Domestic Violence Hotline — 1-800-799-7233, with text (START to 88788) and online chat.2National Domestic Violence Hotline. Domestic Violence Support
- Texas Council on Family Violence technical assistance line — 1-800-525-1978, which connects survivors to advocacy and local programs.3Administration for Children and Families. Texas Family Violence Prevention and Services Grantees
The HHSC Family Violence Program funds a statewide network of family violence centers through grants to nonprofits, but it does not take crisis calls itself.1Texas Health and Human Services. Family Violence Program Those funded centers are the organizations that actually run shelters and provide in-person advocacy. When you call either hotline, the advocate’s job is to figure out which local center fits your situation.
If Your Phone or Computer Might Be Monitored
Use a device the abuser does not have access to: a friend’s phone, a library computer, a work phone. HHSC specifically warns about monitored devices and recommends using a safe computer before reaching out.1Texas Health and Human Services. Family Violence Program Abusers increasingly use phone tracking apps, shared cloud accounts, and hidden Bluetooth trackers. If you suspect stalkerware, a factory reset can remove it, but do not restore from a backup of the old phone, because the tracking software can reinstall.4Federal Trade Commission. Stalkerware: What To Know Talk to an advocate before removing tracking software. An abuser who suddenly loses location access may escalate, and sometimes the safer move is to leave the monitored device behind.
Before hanging up, clear your call history and any browser history from visiting a help site.
What Happens When You Call
You’ll hear automated prompts offering a language option (English, Spanish, and other languages through interpreters), then get routed to a live advocate trained in domestic violence response. Wait times vary with call volume, so if you cannot wait, call 911.
The advocate will ask about your current safety: where you are, whether the abuser is present, whether weapons are in the home, whether children are involved. This is triage, not an interrogation. The answers determine whether you need a shelter tonight, a safety plan for leaving next week, or legal information about a protective order. You don’t need to have your story organized before you call. Advocates are used to working with people who are scared, confused, or whispering from a closet at 2 a.m.
What To Have Ready, If You Can
You don’t need anything to call. If you have a moment, knowing your current city and county helps the advocate match you to the right local resources, because shelter availability and legal aid are organized by region. If you or your children need medical attention, say so up front.
If you’re planning to leave, try to gather the following when it’s safe:
- Identification: driver’s license, Social Security cards, passports, and birth certificates for you and your children.
- Financial access: cash, bank cards, and account information.
- Legal papers: any existing court orders, your lease or mortgage, car title, and insurance cards.
- Medical and school records for continuity after you relocate.
Keep copies with a trusted friend or somewhere the abuser cannot reach.
Is the Call Confidential?
Texas law puts a strong shield around what you tell a domestic violence advocate. Under Texas Family Code Section 93.002, written or oral communication between an advocate and a victim made while advising, counseling, or assisting is confidential and cannot be disclosed.5State of Texas. Texas Family Code Section 93.002 – Confidential Communications The advocate generally cannot be forced to testify about your conversation or hand over intake notes. You hold the privilege. Only you can waive it.
Two narrow exceptions override that protection:
- If the advocate has reasonable cause to believe a child has been abused or neglected, Texas law requires an immediate report. That duty applies to every professional, advocates included, without exception.6State of Texas. Texas Family Code Section 261.101 – Persons Required to Report, Time to Report
- If anyone suspects a person 65 or older, or an adult with a disability, is being abused, neglected, or exploited, they must report to the Department of Family and Protective Services. That duty also cannot be delegated and applies even where communications are normally privileged.7State of Texas. Texas Human Resources Code Section 48.051 – Report
Advocates will explain these limits and won’t surprise you with a report. Outside those two situations, what you share stays between you and the advocate.
What the Hotline Can Connect You To
The hotline is a doorway, not the whole system. Knowing what sits on the other side helps you ask for it.
Emergency Shelter
Texas funds a network of family violence centers that provide secure, confidential housing for survivors and their children, with on-site counseling, children’s programs, and help applying for benefits. Availability changes daily, and the advocate checks what’s open near you in real time.
Protective Orders
A protective order legally prohibits the abuser from contacting you, coming near your home or workplace, and possessing firearms. Filing costs nothing in Texas.8Texas State Law Library. Protective Orders – Getting an Order A judge can grant a temporary ex parte order based on your application alone, generally in effect for about two weeks until a full hearing. A standard final order lasts up to two years, and courts can issue longer orders, potentially for the lifetime of the person restrained, in cases involving a felony family violence conviction, serious bodily injury, or repeat prior orders.9State of Texas. Texas Family Code FAM 85.025 – Duration of Protective Order Violating a protective order is a Class A misdemeanor at minimum and escalates to a felony for repeat violations or when the violation involves assault or stalking.10State of Texas. Texas Penal Code PENAL 25.07 – Violation of Certain Court Orders or Conditions of Bond in a Family Violence Case
Breaking Your Lease
Under Texas Property Code Section 92.016, a tenant who is a victim of family violence can terminate the lease and move out by giving the landlord documentation of the violence (either a protective order or written records from a licensed healthcare provider, mental health provider, or family violence center advocate) along with 30 days’ written notice.11State of Texas. Texas Property Code PROP 92.016 – Tenant’s Right to Terminate Lease If the abuser is a cotenant or occupant of the same dwelling, the 30-day notice is waived and you can leave immediately after providing the documentation. This right cannot be waived in the lease.
Unemployment Benefits If You Quit Your Job To Escape
Under Texas Labor Code Section 207.046, leaving work to protect yourself or an immediate family member (spouse, parent, or child under 18) from family violence, stalking, or sexual assault does not disqualify you from benefits.12State of Texas. Texas Labor Code Section 207.046 – Involuntary Separation You will need documentation: an active or recently issued protective order, a police record, a physician’s statement or medical records, or written documentation from a family violence or rape crisis center. The law prohibits disclosure of that evidence without your consent.
Financial Help for Medical Bills, Counseling, and Moving
The Crime Victims’ Compensation (CVC) Program, run by the Attorney General’s office, can cover up to $50,000 per victim for medical care, counseling, lost wages, and other expenses, with an additional $25,000 available for sexual assault forensic exam reimbursement.13Office of the Attorney General of Texas. Crime Victims’ Compensation Program Overview For relocation specifically, CVC provides up to $5,000 for moving expenses, deposits, and rent for crimes that occurred after August 31, 2023. You must relocate within three years, and CVC is a last-resort fund, so you will need to show you explored other housing assistance first.14Office of the Attorney General of Texas. Rent and Relocation Reimbursement A sexual assault forensic exam (sometimes called a SANE exam) is free to you; the state reimburses the medical provider up to $1,000 per exam, and the victim cannot be billed.15Office of the Attorney General of Texas. Sexual Assault Exam Reimbursement – Medical Providers
Keeping Your New Address Private
Once you relocate, public records like voter registration, vehicle titles, and court filings can expose your address. The Texas Address Confidentiality Program, run by the Attorney General’s office, gives eligible participants a substitute P.O. box address to use on public records; the AG’s office receives your mail and forwards it to your real address, usually within three to four days.16Office of the Attorney General of Texas. Address Confidentiality Program You qualify as a victim of family violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, or child abduction, with either a protective order or documentation of the crime. Enrollment lasts three years and can be renewed. Notify the program at least 10 days in advance if you move or change your name.
If You Are Not a U.S. Citizen
Federal law offers two paths that do not depend on an abusive partner’s cooperation. A VAWA self-petition lets a noncitizen who has been subjected to battery or extreme cruelty by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse, parent, or adult child apply for lawful permanent resident status independently.17U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 2 – Eligibility Requirements and Evidence A U visa is available to victims of qualifying crimes, including domestic violence, who have been helpful to law enforcement, with a signed certification from a law enforcement official.18U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Victims of Criminal Activity: U Nonimmigrant Status Both processes are complex. Hotline advocates can refer you to immigration attorneys who handle them, and that referral is often the single most useful outcome of a call.