18 Jul Domestic Violence Support Groups and Shelters in Florida
If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
The resources below begin with the certified domestic violence centers and crisis lines serving Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. Centers serving other parts of Florida follow.
Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County consolidated its certified domestic violence shelters behind a single around-the-clock hotline. One call or text reaches Safespace North, Safespace South, Safespace Central, and the Safespace Empowerment Center. Advocates provide safety planning, crisis intervention, and referrals in English, Spanish, Creole, and more than 170 additional languages, with TTY access for callers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
24-hour hotline, call or text: 305-679-0303
Coordinated Victims Assistance Center: 305-285-5900 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
Victim Response, Inc. / The Lodge: 305-693-1170
Broward County
Women in Distress of Broward County operates the county’s certified domestic violence center, providing emergency shelter, crisis counseling, legal advocacy, and children’s services.
24-hour crisis hotline: 954-761-1133
TTY: dial 711
Statewide and National Hotlines
Florida Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-500-1119 | TTY: 1-800-621-4202
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 | TTY: 1-800-787-3224
Injunctions for Protection Under Florida Law
Emergency shelter addresses immediate safety, and Florida law also provides a civil remedy. A person who is the victim of any act of domestic violence, or who has reasonable cause to believe he or she is in imminent danger of becoming the victim of an act of domestic violence, may petition the circuit court for an injunction for protection under section 741.30, Florida Statutes. No filing fee, service charge, or cost may be assessed against a petitioner seeking that injunction. The court may enter a temporary injunction ex parte, without notice to the respondent, and must set a full hearing on the petition. In Miami-Dade County, petitions are filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Certified Domestic Violence Centers Elsewhere in Florida
1. Help Now of Osceola, Inc.
Help Now provides an immediate care shelter for surviving victims of domestic violence. For obvious reasons, they do not publish their address on their website, nor will they answer any questions about whether someone is at the shelter. Their 407 phone number area code puts them in the Orlando area.
Their 24-hour crisis hotline: (407) 847-8562 | (407) 846-2472 (TTY)
2. Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc.
A.C.T. is a non-profit agency that revolves around victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. They have been serving the Lee, Hendry, and Glades counties for over 36 years.
Their 24-hour hotline: (239) 939-3112
Hendry and Glades counties toll-free domestic violence hotline: 1-800-500-1119
Hendy and Glades counties toll-free sexual assault hotline: 1-888-956-7273
3. C.A.R.E. – The Center for Abuse and Rape Emergencies, Inc.
Care serves Charlotte County, Florida by providing two sides of support. They promote non-violent relationships through education and provide a safe shelter for those who believe themselves to be in imminent danger.
24 Hour Crisis Hotline: (941) 627-6000
Englewood Area: (941) 475-6465
Hearing/Speech: Impaired Dial 7-1-1
Florida Relay: 1-800-500-1119
4. The Dawn Center
The Dawn Center provides every type of service imaginable to any kind of victim, domestic abuse included. Their services include shelter, information/referral, 24-hour hotline, intervention, support groups, court advocacy, service management and community education.
HOTLINE: (352) 686-8430
Outreach Office: (352) 592-1288
Shelter: (352) 686-8759
Administration: (352) 684-7191
Teen Dating Abuse Helpline: 1-866-331-9474
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
National Sexual Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
5. Domestic Abuse Shelter of the Florida Keys
The Domestic Abuse Shelter of the Florida Keys offers a range of comprehensive services, including a shelter for those in imminent danger, counseling, legal advocacy, case management, information and referral services, professional training and education, sexual assault response assistance, gay and lesbian assistance, transportation services, children’s services, and a 24-hour hotline.
24-hour hotline: (305) 743-4440
6. Harbor House of Central Florida
Harbor House works to prevent and eliminate domestic abuse in Central Florida by providing critical life-saving services to survivors, implementing and advancing best practices, and educating and engaging the community in a united front.
24-hour Hotline: (407) 886-2856
Florida Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-500-1119
National Domestic Abuse Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
7. HOPE Family Services
HOPE Family Services offers a broad range of services to victims of domestic abuse, including a 24-hour helpline, a safe emergency shelter, legal advocacy, counseling, a children’s program, and a primary prevention program.
24-hour Hotline: (941) 755-6805 (V/TTY)
