A person who is at least 18 years of age or is otherwise emancipated and is the victim of abuse or has reasonable cause to believe he or she is in imminent danger of becoming a victim of any act of abuse may petition for a Protection From Abuse Order.
A victim is an individual who is related in any of the following ways to the person who commits an act of abuse:
Has a current or former marriage, including common law marriage, with the defendant.
Has a child in common with the defendant regardless of whether the victim and defendant have ever been married and regardless of whether they are currently residing or have in the past resided together in the same household.
Has or had a dating relationship with the defendant. A dating relationship does not include a casual or business relationship or a relationship that ended more than 12 months prior to the filing of the petition for a protection order.
Is a current or former household member. For purposes of this chapter, a household member excludes non-romantic or non-intimate co-residents.
A relative of a current or former household member who also lived with the defendant.
VICTIM. An individual who is related in any of the following ways to the person who commits an act of abuse:
a. Has a current or former marriage, including common law marriage, with the defendant.
b. Has a child in common with the defendant regardless of whether the victim and defendant have ever been married and regardless of whether they are currently residing or have in the past resided together in the same household.
c. Has or had a dating relationship with the defendant. A dating relationship does not include a casual or business relationship or a relationship that ended more than 12 months prior to the filing of the petition for a protection order.
d. Is a current or former household member. For purposes of this chapter, a “household member” excludes non-romantic or non-intimate co-residents.
e. A relative of a current or former household member as defined in paragraph d. who also lived with the defendant.
f. An individual who is a parent, stepparent, child, or stepchild.
g. An individual who is a grandparent, step-grandparent, grandchild, or step-grandchild.
A petition for a protection order may be filed in any of the following locations:
Where the plaintiff or defendant resides.
Where the plaintiff is temporarily located if he or she has left his or her residence to avoid further abuse.
Where the abuse occurred.
Where a civil matter is pending before the court in which the plaintiff and the defendant are opposing parties.

Click Your County on the Map Below to Find Local Resources
Scroll Down for State and National Resources
State Resources for Victims
If you are in an emergency call 9-1-1!
For Local Resources Call 2-1-1
Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE or Text “START” to 8888
Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)
YMCA Domestic Violence Hotline: (205) 322-HURT (4878)
Crisis Services Helpline (256) 716-1000 or 1-800-691-8426
AshaKiran: They help foreign-born individuals experiencing crises throughout the state of Alabama. 1-800-793-3010
National Resources for Victims
NATIONAL CRISIS ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSISTANCE:
The National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-7233 (SAFE)
www.ndvh.org
National Dating Abuse Helpline
1-866-331-9474
www.loveisrespect.org
National Child Abuse Hotline/Childhelp
1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)
www.childhelp.org
National Sexual Assault Hotline
1-800-656-4673 (HOPE)
www.rainn.org
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-8255 (TALK)
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
National Center for Victims of Crime
1-202-467-8700
www.victimsofcrime.org
National Human Trafficking Resource Center/Polaris Project
Call: 1-888-373-7888 | Text: HELP to BeFree (233733)
www.polarisproject.org
National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
1-510-465-1984
www.nnirr.org
National Coalition for the Homeless
1-202-737-6444
www.nationalhomeless.org
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
1-800-537-2238
www.nrcdv.org and www.vawnet.org
Futures Without Violence: The National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence
1-888-792-2873
www.futureswithoutviolence.org
National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health
1-312-726-7020 ext. 2011
www.nationalcenterdvtraumamh.org
National Runaway Safeline
1-800-RUNAWAY or 1-800-786-2929
www.1800runaway.org
DIFFERENTLY ABLED
Domestic Violence Initiative
(303) 839-5510/ (877) 839-5510
www.dviforwomen.org
Deaf Abused Women’s Network (DAWN)
Email: Hotline@deafdawn.org
VP: 202-559-5366
www.deafdawn.org
WOMEN OF COLOR
Women of Color Network
1-800-537-2238
www.wocninc.org
INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence
incite.natl@gmail.com
www.incite-national.org
LATINA/LATINO
Casa de Esperanza
Linea de crisis 24-horas/24-hour crisis line
1-651-772-1611
www.casadeesperanza.org
National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities
1-651-646-5553
www.nationallatinonetwork.org
IMMIGRANT
The National Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Project
(202) 274-4457
http://www.niwap.org/
INDIGENOUS WOMEN
National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center
855-649-7299
www.niwrc.org
ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER
Asian and Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence
1-415-954-9988
www.apiidv.org
Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence (CAAAV)
1-212- 473-6485
www.caaav.org
Manavi
1-732-435-1414
www.manavi.org
AFRICAN-AMERICAN
The Black Church and Domestic Violence Institute
1-770-909-0715
www.bcdvi.org
CHILDREN
Childhelp USA/National Child Abuse Hotline
1-800-422-4453
www.childhelpusa.org
Children’s Defense Fund
202-628-8787
www.childrensdefense.org
Child Welfare League of America
202-638-2952
www.cwla.org
National Council on Juvenile and Family Court Judges
Child Protection and Custody/Resource Center on Domestic Violence
1-800-527-3233
www.ncjfcj.org
Center for Judicial Excellence
info@centerforjudicialexcellence.org
www.centerforjudicialexcellence.org
TEENS
Love is respect
Hotline: 1-866-331-9474
www.loveisrespect.org
Break the Cycle
202-824-0707
www.breakthecycle.org
LESBIAN, BI-SEXUAL, GAY, TRANSGENDER, GENDER NON-CONFORMING
The Audre Lorde Project
1-178-596-0342
www.alp.org
LAMBDA GLBT Community Services
1-206-350-4283
http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/orgs/avproject/main.htm
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
1-202-393-5177
www.ngltf.org
Northwest Network of Bisexual, Trans, Lesbian & Gay Survivors of Abuse
1-206-568-7777
www.nwnetwork.org
Trans Lifeline
877-565-8860
www.translifeline.org
ABUSE IN LATER LIFE
National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life
1-608-255-0539
www.ncall.us
National Center for Elder Abuse
1-855-500-3537
www.aginginplace.org
MEN
National Organization for Men Against Sexism (NOMAS)
1-720-466-3882
www.nomas.org
A Call to Men
1-917-922-6738
www.acalltomen.org
Men Stopping Violence
1-866-717-9317
www.menstoppingviolence.org
LEGAL
Battered Women’s Justice Project
1-800-903-0111
www.bwjp.org
Legal Momentum
1-212-925-6635
www.legalmomentum.org
Womenslaw.org
www.womenslaw.org
National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women
1-800-903-0111 x 3
www.ncdbw.org
Legal Network for Gender Equity
nwlc.org/join-the-legal-network/
Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project
www.dvleap.org