Support for Victims of Abuse
If you are in immediate danger, please call 9-1-1.
If there is no immediate danger present, you can call these helplines for support.
NJ Statewide Domestic Violence Helpline: 800-572-7233, TTY: 609-528-7216
Child Abuse Hotline: 877-652-2873, TTY: 800-835-5510
Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, or a combination of any or all of these. Abuse can also be neglect, which is when a caregiver does not take care of the basic needs of the individual who is dependent on them.
Types of Abuse
- Physical abuse is any intentional and unwanted contact with you or something close to your body.
- Emotional/Verbal abuse includes non-physical behaviors such as threats, insults, constant monitoring or "checking in," excessive texting, humiliation, intimidation, isolation, or stalking.
- Sexual abuse refers to any action that pressures or coerces someone to do something sexually they do not want to do. It can also refer to behavior that impacts a person's ability to control their sexual activity or the circumstances in which sexual activity occurs, including oral sex, rape, or restricting access to birth control and condoms.
- Financial abuse can be very subtle. It can include telling you what you can and cannot buy or requiring you to share control of your bank accounts.
- Digital abuse is the use of technologies such as texting and social networking to bully, harass, stalk, or intimidate a partner. Often this behavior is a form of verbal or emotional abuse perpetrated online.
- Stalking is when a person repeatedly watches, follows, or harasses you, making you feel afraid or unsafe. A stalker can be someone you know, a past partner, or a stranger.
Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence is a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship. The New Jersey Office of Domestic Violence Services funds domestic violence programs throughout NJ and the New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women.
Women aren't the only victims of domestic violence, men can also be victims of domestic violence. Safety planning is a crucial step to lowering the risks of acts of domestic violence. If you have children or pets, they should also be included in your safety plan.
This guide provides information to help you stay safe as you prepare to leave and after the relationship has ended. Here is also a checklist of essentials to take with you when escaping abuse and knowing when it's time to go.
It can be difficult to see a loved one become a victim of domestic violence. The National Domestic Violence Hotline’s guide can help you support someone in your life who is a victim of domestic violence.
Child Abuse and Neglect
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, or emotional harm or risk of harm to a child under the age of 18 caused by a parent or other person who acts as a caregiver for the child. Neglect occurs when a parent or caregiver fails to provide proper supervision for a child or adequate food, clothing, shelter, education or medical care although financially able or assisted to do so. Children who are being abused often love the person who is hurting them. Children, therefore, are hesitant to reveal that they are being abused because they fear that they will get the person into trouble if they do so. Here are some tips for talking to a child who has been abused.
If there is a reasonable cause to believe that a child is being abused, it should be reported to the State Central Registry by calling 877-652-2873 (TTY: 800-835-5510). Learn how and when to report child abuse. The New Jersey Child Protection and Permanency (CP&P) is New Jersey's child protection and child welfare agency. CP&P is responsible for investigating all allegations of child abuse and neglect and, if necessary, arranging for the child's protection and the family's treatment.
Bullying Prevention
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Find out more about bullying and resources for prevention and response at Stopbullying.gov.
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place online. Cyberbullying can occur on cell phones, computers, and tablets as well as communication tools including social media sites, text messages, chat, and websites.
For children and teens struggling with bullying, it may be helpful to contact 2ND Floor Youth Helpline by calling for texting 888-222-2228. This helpline is for anyone age, 10 to 24, who need to talk about an issue or problem.