Florida Domestic Violence Hotline & Emergency Safety Resources

If you are being abused, threatened, stalked, or hurt in Florida, help is free and it is confidential. The fastest way to reach a trained advocate any hour is the Florida Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. If you are in immediate danger, or someone is hurt, call 911 first. Advocates can help you make a safety plan, find a shelter bed, understand your legal options, and think through your next step, and you never have to give your name.

Domestic violence in Florida is not only hitting. Under Florida law it includes assault, battery, sexual assault, stalking, kidnapping, false imprisonment, or any criminal act that causes physical injury or death by a family or household member. A family or household member includes a spouse, a former spouse, people related by blood or marriage, people who live together as a family or used to, and people who share a child, whether or not they were ever married. Emotional abuse, threats, controlling the money, and cutting you off from family and friends are all part of the pattern too, even when they are not a separate crime.

You can ask a court for an injunction for protection, which many people call a restraining order or a protective order. Florida has five kinds: domestic violence, dating violence, repeat violence, sexual violence, and stalking. You file a petition at the circuit court clerk in your county, and there is no filing fee and no cost for the sheriff to serve it in a domestic violence case. A judge can grant a temporary injunction the same day if you are in danger, and then set a hearing, usually within about fifteen days, for a longer order. An injunction can order the other person to stay away from you, your home, your job, and your children's school, and it can give you temporary use of the home and temporary time-sharing.

Sexual assault and rape are crimes, and help is available whether or not you decide to report to the police. The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 and the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence at 1-888-956-7273 are free and confidential. If you were recently assaulted, try not to shower, change clothes, or clean up before a forensic exam if you can help it, because a trained sexual assault nurse examiner can collect evidence and provide medical care at no cost to you, even if you have not decided whether to press charges. You have time to decide, and an advocate can go with you.

Stalking and cyberstalking are also crimes in Florida. Stalking means someone repeatedly follows, harasses, or cyberstalks you, and aggravated stalking includes a credible threat or contact that continues after an injunction. Keep a written log of every incident with dates, times, and screenshots, save threatening texts and messages, and do not delete them. A stalking injunction does not require a family relationship, so it is available even if the person is a stranger, a neighbor, a coworker, or someone you dated once. If the stalking involves your phone, accounts, or location tracking, an advocate can help you check your devices safely.

Recording someone secretly can be a crime in Florida, and it can also hurt your case. Florida is an all-party consent state, which means it is generally illegal to record a private conversation unless everyone being recorded agrees, when they have a reasonable expectation of privacy. This covers phone calls and in-person talks. There are limits and exceptions, and the rules for video, doorbell cameras, and public places are different, so it is easy to get this wrong. If your abuser has been secretly recording you, or you are thinking about recording them for evidence, talk to a domestic violence advocate or a lawyer first so you protect yourself and do not accidentally break the law.

A safety plan is a simple, personal plan for staying safer, whether you stay, you are getting ready to leave, or you have already left. It can include a packed bag with medicine, important papers, and some cash hidden in a safe place, copies of documents for you and your children, a code word with people you trust, knowing which room to get to that has an exit and no weapons, and changing passwords on your phone and accounts. Leaving can be the most dangerous time, so it is worth making this plan with a trained advocate who does this every day. The Florida hotline at 1-800-500-1119 can walk you through it for free.

Everything here is free information to help you find help fast, and it is not legal advice or a substitute for a lawyer. Your safety comes first, and calling a hotline or 911 is always the right first step when you are in danger. When you are safe, a certified domestic violence center, a legal aid office, or a licensed attorney can help you with an injunction, custody, and the rest of your case.

Frequently asked questions

What is the domestic violence hotline number in Florida?

The Florida Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-500-1119. It is free, confidential, and open 24 hours a day, every day, and it connects you to your nearest certified Florida domestic violence center. You can also call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 first.

Are these hotlines free and confidential?

Yes. The domestic violence, sexual assault, and crisis hotlines listed here are free to call and confidential. You do not have to give your name, and calling does not start a court case or a police report unless you choose to.

What number do I call for sexual assault or rape in Florida?

Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence at 1-888-956-7273. Both are free and confidential and can connect you to a local rape crisis center, arrange a no-cost forensic exam, and help you decide whether to report.

How do I get a restraining order in Florida?

In Florida a restraining order is called an injunction for protection. You file a petition at the circuit court clerk's office in your county. There is no filing fee for a domestic violence injunction. A judge can grant a temporary order the same day if you are in danger, then set a hearing for a longer order. Florida has injunctions for domestic violence, dating violence, repeat violence, sexual violence, and stalking.

Is it illegal to record my abuser in Florida?

Often, yes. Florida is an all-party consent state, so it is generally illegal to secretly record a private conversation, including phone calls, unless everyone being recorded agrees. The rules for video and public places are different. Because a secret recording can be a crime and can hurt your case, talk to an advocate or a lawyer before you record anyone.

Is stalking a crime in Florida?

Yes. Stalking and cyberstalking are crimes in Florida. Repeatedly following, harassing, or threatening someone can lead to charges, and you can ask for a stalking injunction even if you have no family relationship with the person. Keep a dated log and save every threatening message as evidence.

Can I call a hotline if I am not sure it is 'bad enough'?

Yes. You do not have to be in a crisis to call. Advocates help with threats, control, emotional abuse, and fear, not only physical injury. If something feels wrong or unsafe, calling to talk it through is always okay.

What is the safest way to leave an abusive relationship?

Leaving can be the most dangerous time, so it helps to plan first with a trained advocate. A safety plan can include a hidden bag with medicine, papers, and cash, copies of important documents, a code word with people you trust, and changing your passwords. Call the Florida Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119 to make a plan for free.

How do I report child, elder, or vulnerable adult abuse in Florida?

Call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873. It is staffed 24 hours a day by the Department of Children and Families to take reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a child, an elderly person, or a vulnerable adult.

Will using this page or these numbers show up to my abuser?

This page does not contact anyone for you. To stay safer online, use the Quick exit button to leave fast, clear your browser history, or use a private or borrowed device. If your abuser may be tracking your phone or accounts, an advocate can help you check them safely.