Help for domestic violence victims in Tennessee will soon be just a text message away.

This year has been hard for everyone, but especially for victims of domestic violence. 

Even in normal times, domestic abusers use social isolation as a way to yield power and control over their victim, cutting them off from connecting with friends and family members. So a year that has brought social isolation for all of us has left victims of domestic violence in a particularly vulnerable position. 

We’re working to make accessing help a little easier for them. 

Nurture the Next invests considerable resources in operating the Tennessee Statewide Domestic Violence Helpline. Our focus as an organization is to see all children in Tennessee thriving in safe, stable and nurturing families. Since children are completely dependent on their parents, few things interrupt their stability at home like domestic violence. 

When someone calls the Domestic Violence Helpline, they’re immediately in contact with a counselor who can help with safety planning and connect them to resources in their local community. 

But picking up a phone to dial for help in a home that’s unsafe, and where your actions are likely closely monitored, can be a real challenge. That’s why we’re working to implement a new texting feature for our helpline. This will give choice to victims, so they can access help in a way that works best for them. 

It’s only in a pilot stage for now. We’re planning a full roll out in January, where a survivor texting 1-800-356-6767 will be directly connected to a highly trained specialist who can provide the same information they would over a phone call.

Leaving an abusive relationship is a process, not an event. Research shows that a victim usually reaches out for help seven times before they feel confident in establishing a permanent path to safety. At the same time, their children’s well-being and even their own life can be dependent on finding that path. The easier we can make accessing help for victims, the sooner their abuse will end, and the safer they and their children will be.