Abuse Resources
If you are looking for abuse resources, domestic violence support, sexual assault support, shelters, crisis lines, legal aid, or victim services, this page is meant to help you get started. It is not meant to be exhaustive. It is meant to make it easier to find practical support when leaving abuse or planning for safety. If you are preparing to leave, our escape and safety planning page has a checklist and practical steps.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For free, confidential support in British Columbia 24 hours a day, call or text VictimLinkBC at 1-800-563-0808.
Anywhere in Canada, call or text 9-8-8 if you are having thoughts of suicide. Young people can reach Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 or by texting CONNECT to 686868. Indigenous people can reach the Hope for Wellness Help Line at 1-855-242-3310.
National Canadian Resources
- DomesticShelters.org: shelters and resources across North America
- Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada: sexual assault centres and crisis lines across the country
- 211: free, confidential help finding local services anywhere in Canada, by phone and, in many regions, by text or chat
- Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline (1-833-900-1010)
- Cybertip.ca: report online sexual exploitation of children, including sextortion
- NeedHelpNow.ca: help for teens to get sexual images removed from the internet
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501): report scams and fraud, including scams targeting older adults
- Protecting yourself from financial abuse: a practical guide from Steps to Justice
Provincial and Territorial Abuse Resources in Canada
British Columbia
- ShelterSafe BC
- BC Transition Houses
- VictimLinkBC (1-800-563-0808)
- BWSS
- Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre (1-877-392-7583)
- VCH Sexual Assault Service
- Fraser Health Crisis Line
- Crisis Centre of BC
- Victim Services BC
- Victoria Women’s Transition House
- Legal Aid BC
- Family Legal Advice BC
- Family Maintenance Enforcement Program
- BC Intimate Images Protection Service (1-833-688-4381)
- Tech Safe BC
- Report child abuse (1-800-663-9122)
- Seniors First BC (1-866-437-1940)
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
- ShelterSafe MB
- Family Violence Prevention Program
- Domestic Violence Crisis Line (1-877-977-0007)
- Klinic Sexual Assault Crisis Line (1-888-292-7565)
- Survivor’s Hope Crisis Centre
- Manitoba Victim Services
- Legal Aid Manitoba
- Report child abuse (1-866-345-9241)
- Seniors Abuse Support Line (1-888-896-7183)
Ontario
Quebec
- ShelterSafe QC
- SOS Violence Help (1-800-363-9010)
- Montreal Spousal Violence Services
- Info-aide violence sexuelle (1-888-933-9007)
- Montreal Sexual Assault Centre
- Quebec Victim Services (1-866-532-2822)
- Legal Aid Quebec
- Report child abuse
- Mistreatment Helpline (1-888-489-2287)
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
Newfoundland & Labrador
- ShelterSafe NL
- Transition House Association of Newfoundland and Labrador
- End Sexual Violence NL (1-800-726-2743)
- NL Victim Services
- Legal Aid NL
- Report child abuse
- Adult Protection (1-855-376-4957)
- Seniors NL (1-800-563-5599)
Yukon
- ShelterSafe YT
- YT Women’s Shelters
- VictimLink (1-800-563-0808)
- YT Reach Out Support Line (1-844-533-3030)
- Sexualized Assault Response Team (1-844-967-7275)
- YT Victim Services
- Legal Aid YK
- Report child abuse (867-667-3002)
Northwest Territories & Nunavut
- ShelterSafe NWT
- NWT Family Violence Shelters (1-866-223-7775)
- NWT Help Line (1-800-661-0844)
- NWT Victim Services
- Legal Aid NWT
- NWT Social Services Offices
- ShelterSafe NU
- Family Violence Shelters
- Kamatsiaqtut Nunavut Helpline (1-800-265-3333)
- NU Victim Services
- Legal Aid NU
- NU Family Services
International Resources
- RAINN (USA National Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-4673)
- The Hotline (USA National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233)
- USA National Human Trafficking Hotline (1-888-373-7888)
- USA 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988)
- Women's Aid provides a safe, anonymous forum for abuse survivors.
- Netflix Resources
Common Questions About Abuse Resources
Who can I call in BC if I am being abused?
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. VictimLinkBC offers free, confidential, multilingual support 24 hours a day by phone or text at 1-800-563-0808, and can connect you with transition houses, victim services, counselling, and safety planning.
How do I find a shelter or transition house in BC?
ShelterSafe BC lists transition houses and safe homes across the province, and VictimLinkBC can help you find available space at any hour. Transition houses provide free, confidential short-term housing and support for women and their children leaving violence.
Is there help for men who are being abused?
Yes. VictimLinkBC and victim services programs support people of all genders, and can help men find counselling, safety planning, and housing options. Some programs are specific to women, so it helps to ask a crisis line which services fit your situation.
Can I get free legal help if I am leaving an abusive relationship?
Possibly. Legal Aid BC offers free family law information and advice, and survivors of family violence who cannot afford a lawyer may qualify for representation. Every province and territory has a legal aid program, listed in the table on this page.
Where can I get help after a sexual assault in BC?
VictimLinkBC at 1-800-563-0808 can tell you where to get care any time of day. In the Vancouver area, the Vancouver Coastal Health Sexual Assault Service at Vancouver General Hospital and UBC Hospital offers free, confidential medical care and forensic exams up to seven days after an assault, with or without a police report. Our sexual assault page explains your options.
Who do I call to report child abuse in BC?
If a child is in immediate danger, call 911 first. Otherwise, call Provincial Centralized Screening at 1-800-663-9122, which is answered 24 hours a day. Everyone in BC has a legal duty to report if they believe a child or youth may be at risk. Learn more on our signs of child abuse page.
Where can older adults get help with abuse in BC?
The Seniors Abuse and Information Line (SAIL), run by Seniors First BC, offers information and support at 1-866-437-1940. If an older adult is in immediate danger, call 911. Our signs of elder abuse page lists warning signs.
Is there a crisis line for Indigenous people?
Yes. The Hope for Wellness Help Line offers free, culturally grounded support to Indigenous people across Canada 24 hours a day at 1-855-242-3310.
What if I am having thoughts of suicide?
Call or text 9-8-8 anywhere in Canada, any time, to reach the Suicide Crisis Helpline. In the United States, call or text 988. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
Where can I get help in the United States?
Call 911 in an emergency. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. The National Sexual Assault Hotline run by RAINN is at 1-800-656-4673.
Last reviewed: October 2026