Journey guide
Escaping Domestic Violence
This guide helps prepare a safer next conversation without asking for identifying details or directing a person to disclose a confidential location.
Safety action
Use a safer contact route now
If this device, browser, account, or location may be monitored, use a different one. Quick Exit leaves the site but does not erase browsing history or monitoring-app records.
Source checked 2026-08-05. Confirm the current route before travelling.
Your plan
5 steps, in the order that works. Select any step for the full instructions.
- Do this first. Get emergency help if in danger. More info.
- Step 1 of 5. Choose a safer way to contact help. More info.
- Step 2 of 5. Speak with a confidential advocate. More info.
- Step 3 of 5. Make a plan for your household. More info.
- Step 4 of 5. Recover records only when safe. More info.
- Step 5 of 5. Agree on a safe follow-up. More info.
This is the ordered plan for Escaping Domestic Violence. Each step links to its full instructions further down this page.
Start here
Your first action
Do this now
If there is immediate danger, call 911. If safe to do so, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline from a safer device.
Next: National Domestic Violence Hotline
Ask: Ask about confidential local shelter options, a safety plan, and what is safe to discuss on this device. If this device or account may be monitored, use a safer one first.
Situation: Immediate safety, safer communication, and confidential support come before housing or legal questions.
What you need to startUse what you have. Missing items do not block the first call.
Have ready if available
- A safer device or location to make contact from, if possible
- Information about children, pets, medication, or mobility that affects the plan
- The safest contact method and time for follow-up
- Essential records only when they are safe to access
Missing something? Ask what can be reviewed; do not wait to call.
If the first route fails
If the Hotline cannot confirm a local route or a legal option is needed: Kentucky courts are required to provide a 24-hour access process for orders of protection in every county. The after-hours location or procedure can vary by county. Contact the local circuit court clerk, law enforcement, or a domestic-violence program to confirm the local process. The Kentucky Court of Justice also states that there are no fees or costs for filing a petition. An advocate can help decide whether seeking an order is the right step.
Keep the Hotline and any active safety plan running while exploring the legal route.
Last checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Kentucky Court of Justice — How to Obtain a Protective Order
What remains uncertain: Shelter capacity, advocate availability, legal outcomes, and accommodation for children, pets, disability, or immigration status must be confirmed with the specific provider. A public directory does not confirm that a location is safe or available.
Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky
Programs under one organization can differ. Provider information · Methodology
Public Beta limitation
Reviewed Public Beta guidance only. Fees, timelines, eligibility, document substitutes, capacity, and provider practices are not published unless a named source has been verified. Confirm current requirements directly.
How to read checked, listed, and unknown informationA listing can stay useful without being provider confirmed.
- Checked fact or route
- NOLO matched the fact to the named source on the date shown. This is not proof of current availability or provider confirmation.
- Directory lead
- A listing that may still help remains visible with an honest status such as Possibly active or Needs verification.
- PROVIDER CONFIRMED
- Only named fields backed by linked first-party provider evidence, integrity checks, and attributed human approval may carry this state. NOLO never infers it from a website, import, likely fit, or contact attempt.
- UNKNOWN / Needs verification
- NOLO does not know the answer yet. Confirm it directly; this is not a claim that the resource or option does not exist.
Each step in full
The same steps as the plan above, with the instructions for each one.
Do firstGet emergency help if in danger
Do this
If you are in immediate danger, contact emergency services from a safer location or device if possible.
- Use the emergency panel above; avoid an action that increases immediate danger.
- Quick Exit leaves this page but does not erase history, account activity, or device monitoring.
Why this step is here
Safety comes before documents, accounts, and any decision about leaving.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (2)
- The Hotline offers personalized safety planning and live advocates by phone at 800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or chat; immediate danger calls for emergency help.National Domestic Violence Hotline — Create Your Personal Safety Plan. Read on 2026-09-07.
- Devices and accounts can be monitored, browsing history cannot be completely erased, and posted personal information can expose location or identity.National Domestic Violence Hotline — Internet Safety for Survivors. Read on 2026-09-07.
Still unknown
- NOLO cannot establish whether this device, location, or contact method is safe.
Step 1Choose a safer way to contact help of 5
Do this
Consider a device and time an abusive person cannot monitor before contacting an advocate.
- Avoid sharing a plan link, leaving it open, or printing it where it could be found.
- Do not suddenly change accounts or tracking settings if doing so could alert someone; discuss the safest sequence with an advocate.
Move on when: you have a contact approach you consider safer, or can ask for help choosing one.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (1)
- Devices and accounts can be monitored, browsing history cannot be completely erased, and posted personal information can expose location or identity.National Domestic Violence Hotline — Internet Safety for Survivors. Read on 2026-09-07.
Still unknown
- A private browsing window or erased history does not establish safety.
Step 2Speak with a confidential advocate of 5
Do this
Use the Hotline's phone, text, or chat route when it is safe to do so.
- Call 800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or use the live chat linked on the Hotline page.
- Say whether a return call, text, voicemail, or email would be unsafe. Ask about language and accessibility support.
Why this step is here
Get individualized advice before making changes that could reveal a plan.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (1)
- The Hotline offers personalized safety planning and live advocates by phone at 800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or chat; immediate danger calls for emergency help.National Domestic Violence Hotline — Create Your Personal Safety Plan. Read on 2026-09-07.
Still unknown
- A confidential conversation does not confirm shelter space, money, transportation, or legal representation.
Step 3Make a plan for your household of 5
Do this
Work with the advocate on what makes staying, leaving, or the next contact safer.
- Discuss children, pets, medication, mobility, travel, and trusted support privately with the advocate.
- Ask for a safe destination and a fallback; do not publish a shelter location or personal details in NOLO.
Move on when: you and the advocate have a next safe action and an alternative if it cannot happen.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (2)
- The Hotline offers personalized safety planning and live advocates by phone at 800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or chat; immediate danger calls for emergency help.National Domestic Violence Hotline — Create Your Personal Safety Plan. Read on 2026-09-07.
- Devices and accounts can be monitored, browsing history cannot be completely erased, and posted personal information can expose location or identity.National Domestic Violence Hotline — Internet Safety for Survivors. Read on 2026-09-07.
Still unknown
- No single leaving plan is safe for everyone; available services must be confirmed.
Step 4Recover records only when safe of 5
Do this
Ask the advocate how to handle essential records, money, keys, and account access without increasing danger.
- Do not delay getting safe or return to danger to collect documents.
- Use the legal and housing services the advocate identifies for confidential advice about records, orders, or tenancy.
Why this step is here
Document and account changes follow the safety plan.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (1)
- The Hotline offers personalized safety planning and live advocates by phone at 800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or chat; immediate danger calls for emergency help.National Domestic Violence Hotline — Create Your Personal Safety Plan. Read on 2026-09-07.
Still unknown
- Required records, legal options, and safe recovery methods depend on the situation.
Step 5Agree on a safe follow-up of 5
Do this
Choose how to reconnect with help and what information can safely travel with you.
- Share only what the receiving service needs, directly with that service.
- Keep a written plan or contact only if doing so is safe; ask the advocate for another approach if it could be discovered.
- Choose a safe contact method, name who owns the next action, and write down when to check again.
- Keep a safe copy or reference number for each notice, submission, referral, and instruction so the work can resume without starting over.
Move on when: there is a safe next contact and a fallback if that contact fails.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (1)
- Devices and accounts can be monitored, browsing history cannot be completely erased, and posted personal information can expose location or identity.National Domestic Violence Hotline — Internet Safety for Survivors. Read on 2026-09-07.
Still unknown
- The safety of a saved or printed record cannot be established by this page.
Build a handoff packet for a case managerFor a worker, advocate, or outreach team preparing a referral on someone's behalf.
Case manager packet
Build a Escaping Domestic Violence handoff
Choose the sections you can review together in under five minutes. The handoff starts with the first action and ends with a fallback. NOLO does not ask for or store a client name, answers, case notes, or checklist progress.
First action plus 4 selected sections
Document prompts are preparation—not a verified agency checklist. UNKNOWN means “confirm this,” not “no.” A source link does not confirm eligibility or current availability.
Before the appointment ends
- 1. Name the next official contact.
- 2. Choose one UNKNOWN to confirm.
- 3. Agree on a fallback if the first route fails.
Routes whose sources publish 24/7 access
These sources describe the route as available around the clock. A route may be a staffed phone, text, or chat line, a self-service form, or a local process. This is not a live check that someone will answer or that a service has capacity. Read each availability note and confirm the current route when you can.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Mental-health distress, emotional distress, suicide, or substance-use crisis — for you or for someone you are worried about.
Call or text 988988lifeline.org
Chat at chat.988lifeline.org. Text and chat are published in Spanish, and there is a Deaf and hard-of-hearing route.
988 publishes that it is available 24/7/365, free, and confidential.
Source: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — checked 2026-08-05.
Kentucky 211
Housing, food, utilities, transportation, and community services — when you need to know what exists near you tonight.
Or text your ZIP code to 898211.
Kentucky 211 answers 24 hours a day.
Source: NOLO emergency contact policy (SOURCE_OF_TRUTH §11) — checked 2026-08-05.
VA National Call Center for Homeless Veterans
Any veteran who is homeless or at risk of it. Family, friends, and case managers may call on a veteran's behalf.
Call 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838)va.gov/homeless
VA publishes a free, confidential online chat with a trained counselor, any time of day or night.
VA publishes that this line is available 24/7.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — National Call Center for Homeless Veterans — checked 2026-08-05.
4 more routes whose sources publish 24/7 access
National Domestic Violence Hotline
Confidential support if someone is hurting you or you are helping someone who is being hurt.
Call 1-800-799-7233thehotline.org/get-help
Text START to 88788, or use the live chat. There are Spanish, StrongHearts, and video-phone routes.
The Hotline publishes phone, text, and chat routes to an advocate. It also warns that internet use can be monitored and is impossible to erase completely — if this device may be watched, use a different one.
Source: National Domestic Violence Hotline — Get Help — checked 2026-08-05.
Seven Counties Services crisis lines
Local crisis support for the Louisville area, staffed at any hour. Separate lines for adults, children, addiction recovery, and developmental-disability crisis.
Adult crisis (502) 589-4313sevencounties.org
Child crisis (502) 589-8070. Addiction recovery (502) 583-3951. Developmental-disability crisis (502) 459-5292.
Seven Counties Services publishes all four lines as available 24/7, 365.
Source: Seven Counties Services — Crisis Number Directory — checked 2026-08-05.
Kentucky protective order
Filing a petition for an emergency protective order, if someone is hurting you or threatening you.
How protective orders work (Kentucky Court of Justice)
Petitions are filed with an Office of Circuit Court Clerk; the court publishes contact details for all 120 counties.
Kentucky courts are required to provide a 24-hour access process for orders of protection in every county. The after-hours location or procedure can vary by county. Contact the local circuit court clerk, law enforcement, or a domestic-violence program to confirm the local process. The Kentucky Court of Justice also states that there are no fees or costs for filing a petition. Whether to seek an order is your decision, and an advocate can help you think it through.
Source: Kentucky Court of Justice — How to Obtain a Protective Order — checked 2026-08-05.
Legal Aid Society online application
Eviction, housing conditions, benefits, and other civil legal problems in Jefferson County and fourteen surrounding counties.
Legal Aid Society publishes an online intake application available twenty-four hours a day. Its phone intake is Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on Fridays — so at night the form is the way in.
Source: Legal Aid Society — Frequently Asked Questions — checked 2026-08-05.
If someone is in immediate danger or having a medical emergency, call 911.
Quick Exit safety
“Leave this site” immediately opens a neutral website and drops this page from your tab's back button. It cannot erase your browsing history, downloads, or anything a monitoring app has already recorded. If browsing here is not safe, use a different device.
Forms, portals, and instructions by step (2)Official forms and portals placed where they become relevant, each with its owner, check date, and what it does not prove.
Documents inside the process
Forms, portals, and instructions by step
These are placed where they become relevant. NOLO does not imitate the form, collect answers, submit anything, or know whether you completed a step.
- 1
Legal-document directory — use a safer device if needed
Find the protective-order document named by the court
Use the live Kentucky Court directory to find the current form named by the court or an advocate. A directory is not legal advice and filing a form does not establish safety or an order.
- Official directoryInstructionsSource checked
Kentucky Court of Justice Legal Forms Directory
The live official directory for Kentucky court forms, including forcible-detainer and protective-order records.
- Who completes it
- Use the directory to match an exact form number or language; seek qualified help for case-specific legal advice.
- Gather before opening
- Varies by form and case; the directory is not a filing checklist.
- Access or submission
- UNKNOWN — confirm with the official owner.
- Signature
- Varies by form; follow the current form and court instructions.
What this does not prove: A form directory is not legal advice or proof that a particular form is appropriate for a case.Official owner: Kentucky Court of Justice. Checked 2026-08-04. Ask the court for an accessible format or assistance when needed. The directory lists multiple language versions for some forms; availability varies by form.
Next in the process: Request an emergency transfer in covered housing
- 2
Conditional VAWA housing branch
Request an emergency transfer in covered housing
HUD-5383 applies only to covered housing. Submitting it does not confirm a transfer; consider device and print traces before opening or printing.
- Official formConditionalSource checked
HUD-5383 Emergency Transfer Request (HUD-5383)
HUD’s emergency-transfer request form for qualifying violence or abuse in covered housing programs.
- Who completes it
- A tenant or household member in a covered housing program requesting an emergency transfer under the form’s stated conditions.
- Gather before opening
- The form contains its own certification language; ask the covered housing provider what its current process requires.
- Access or submission
- Submit through the covered housing provider’s current emergency-transfer process.
- Signature
- Follow the current HUD form and the covered housing provider’s process.
What this does not prove: HUD-5383 applies to covered housing programs, not automatically to every rental. Submitting it does not confirm a transfer.Official owner: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Checked 2026-08-04. PDF accessibility was not evaluated by NOLO. Language versions were not verified for this direct PDF.
Next: continue with the guide's fallback and agency questions.
What NOLO cannot promise
- NOLO does not decide eligibility.
- NOLO does not submit applications, renewals, appeals, or documents.
- NOLO cannot guarantee approval, a timeline, an appointment, or a fee waiver.
- NOLO is not a legal or benefits advisor.
- NOLO is not affiliated with any agency named on a journey page.
- This guide does not make a legal, medical, safety, eligibility, or discharge decision.
- A search result does not confirm funding, capacity, acceptance, or availability.
Documents and what replaces them (2)Every document this journey covers, what each one proves, and the accepted substitutes.
Documents and recovery questions
Anything marked “confirmed” below has a named source and a check date. Everything else is a question worth asking, not a rule — ask before relying on it.
Essential records, only when safe to access
Essential records, only when safe to access
Some later legal, housing, medical, financial, or family processes may request records.
If it is missing
Safety comes first. Ask a qualified advocate how to plan recovery or copies without increasing risk.
Possibilities to ask about
- Ask the specific agency or provider what it can review; no substitute is represented as accepted.
Official details not yet verified — ask the agency for current instructions · checked 2026-08-01 · Kentucky
Legal or incident information, if any and safe to retain
Legal or incident information, if any and safe to retain
A qualified advocate or attorney may ask what records already exist.
If it is missing
Ask an advocate or the issuing authority how to request records safely and confidentially.
Possibilities to ask about
- Ask qualified legal help what information can support an initial conversation; evidence rules are not stated here.
Official details not yet verified — ask the agency for current instructions · checked 2026-08-01 · Kentucky
If something is blocking you (4)What commonly stops people here, and what has worked around it.
If something is blocking you
The device, account, transportation, or location may be monitored.
Things to try
- Use a safer device or location if possible and ask an advocate about technology and transportation safety.
A shelter, legal route, or housing option is not confirmed.
Things to try
- Keep the safety plan active and ask the advocate for confidential alternatives rather than traveling to an unconfirmed location.
Mail, printed instructions, voicemail, or follow-up contact could reveal the plan.
Things to try
- Ask a qualified advocate which contact, record-storage, and follow-up method is safer before leaving or sending anything.
The normal route stalls, gives conflicting instructions, or cannot confirm the next step.
Things to try
- Record who said what, when, and through which channel.
- Ask what escalation or alternate channel exists, then keep a separate fallback route open.
Things that may help today
- Use emergency services for immediate danger; NOLO does not monitor searches or dispatch help.
- Contact a qualified advocate from a safer device and ask what confidential options can be confirmed now.
Where to go — official routes (6)Named offices and services, each with its own source, check date, and published limits.
Verified official route
Kentucky courts are required to provide a 24-hour access process for orders of protection in every county. The after-hours location or procedure can vary by county. Contact the local circuit court clerk, law enforcement, or a domestic-violence program to confirm the local process. The Kentucky Court of Justice also states that there are no fees or costs for filing a petition. Petitions are filed with an Office of Circuit Court Clerk, and the court publishes contact information for all 120 of them. The court describes an emergency protective order (EPO), or a temporary interpersonal protective order (TIPO) in dating-violence and stalking or sexual-assault cases, as a short-term order lasting until a hearing, usually within 14 days; a domestic violence order (DVO) or interpersonal protective order (IPO) can last up to three years. NOLO describes this process only. Whether to seek an order, what a court will decide, and whether an order will make someone safe are not questions this page answers — a domestic-violence advocate can help think it through.
Open the verified official sourceLast checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Kentucky Court of Justice — How to Obtain a Protective Order
Verified official route
The National Domestic Violence Hotline publishes 800.799.SAFE (1.800.799.7233), a text option (text START to 88788), and a live chat with an advocate. It publishes Spanish-language services, a StrongHearts route for Native callers, and a video-phone route for Deaf and hard-of-hearing callers. The Hotline's own site carries this warning: "Internet usage can be monitored and is impossible to erase completely." If a device may be monitored, use a different one — NOLO's Quick Exit does not clear browsing history.
Open the verified official sourceLast checked 2026-08-05 · Jurisdiction-neutral · official source: National Domestic Violence Hotline — Get Help
Verified official route
Kentucky Court of Justice provides a protective-order self-help route and links official forms. County procedures differ; this route does not establish universal clerk hours or filing availability.
Open the verified official sourceLast checked 2026-08-04 · Kentucky · official source: Kentucky Court of Justice — Legal Self-Help
Verified official route
The Kentucky Court live forms directory lists AOC-275.1, Petition/Motion for Order of Protection, including multiple language versions. Use the directory to find the current edition.
Open the verified official sourceLast checked 2026-08-04 · Kentucky · official source: Kentucky Court of Justice — Legal Forms
Verified official route
For covered housing programs, HUD-5383 may be used to request an emergency transfer. Submitting the request does not confirm that a transfer will be received.
Open the verified official sourceLast checked 2026-08-04 · Jurisdiction-neutral · official source: HUD-5383 Emergency Transfer Request
Official details not yet verified
The routes above are the ones NOLO has checked against a named source. Other Kentucky and Louisville routes for this situation are not verified yet — confirm them with the responsible agency or provider.
No official link is published until it is verified. Ask the agency for current instructions.
Official details not yet verified — ask the agency for current instructions · checked 2026-08-01 · Kentucky
Preparation and practice guidanceGeneral advice that applies to most appointments and calls, not only to this journey.
Practitioner and helper guidance
Preparation ideas for the person and anyone helping
Ask what contact method is safe before leaving voicemail, text, email, or printed material.
Ordinary follow-up practices can create risk when devices, mail, or movement are monitored.
Do not record or disclose a confidential shelter location in NOLO.
Safety and confidentiality take priority over directory completeness.
Use the minimum necessary information for each warm handoff and confirm the safe follow-up method first.
Continuity should reduce repeated storytelling without creating a new privacy or safety risk.
Separate documents, client statements, agency instructions, and unconfirmed assumptions in the record.
Clear labels let the next helper reuse what is known without turning an inference into a fact.
End each handoff with a named owner, safe contact method, next check date, and fallback.
A referral is easier to resume when responsibility and the failed-route response are visible.
Practitioner guidance from field experience — not agency policy. Checked 2026-08-01 · Jurisdiction-neutral.
Immediate safety and longer-term navigation
This comparison does not recommend one option.
Confidential safety support
- Documents
- Ask what information this route currently requires.
- Cost
- Unknown — confirm before choosing this route.
- When it may matter
- Use this for immediate safety planning and confidential crisis options.
- When it may not
- Do not use it when it creates a safety or care risk.
Legal and housing follow-up
- Documents
- Ask what information this route currently requires.
- Cost
- Unknown — confirm before choosing this route.
- When it may matter
- Use this after or alongside safety planning with qualified support.
- When it may not
- Do not assume this route is available or appropriate.
Safety planning controls the order; a public directory should not expose confidential details.
Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-07-28 · Jurisdiction-neutral
Appointment strategy
- 1.Ask whether an appointment is required before you travel.
- 2.Ask how walk-ins are handled and whether arriving early changes the process.
- 3.Confirm the location, hours, and documents again on the day you plan to go.
- 4.Ask what safe contact method will be used for changes, cancellations, or follow-up.
- 5.Before ending, ask who to contact and what to do if the appointment or referral cannot proceed.
Scheduling links and phone numbers are pending verification.
Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-07-28 · Jurisdiction-neutral
Day of the appointment or visit
At the office
- 1.Arrive early when practical, especially if you are walking in.
- 2.Ask for a realistic wait estimate.
- 3.Ask whether the office uses text messages, callbacks, or another queue-notification system.
- 4.Ask whether you can leave briefly and return without losing your place.
- 5.Prepare for a potentially long day.
- 6.Write down the name or department that gave each instruction, the date, and the next action.
Bring for the wait
- A charger
- Water and snacks where permitted
- Medications you may need during the wait
- All paperwork together in one folder
- Something to do while you wait
- A safe way to take notes and store confirmation or reference numbers
Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-07-28 · Jurisdiction-neutral
Before you travelA final check of documents, opening hours, and the receiving contact.
Avoid a wasted trip
- 1.Recheck the location, hours, appointment rules, and current document instructions before leaving.
- 2.Keep originals and copies organized, and ask before handing over the only copy you have.
- 3.At the counter, explain what is missing and ask what replacement or workaround evidence can be reviewed.
- 4.Ask what was received, what is still missing, how status can be checked, and what happens if the normal route fails.
- 5.Keep a safe copy, receipt, confirmation, or reference number for anything you submit.
Ask before leaving the counter: “Is there anything else that could prevent this application from being approved today?”
Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-07-28 · Jurisdiction-neutral
Related resources
The core guidance is ready while resource matches load.
- Use the emergency information at the top of this page for urgent options.
- Dial Kentucky 211
- Report a missing resource
What requires an agency or provider
- Immediate safety assessment, confidential shelter, advocacy, and crisis response
- Legal options, filings, evidence, hearing requirements, and confidentiality protections
- Housing availability, children or pet accommodations, accessibility, transportation, and safe contact practices
Take this with you
The referral packet is a one-page version built to print and hand over: numbers to call and when they answer, what to bring, what to ask, what to do if it does not work, and where each checked fact came from. It has blank lines to write on.
Open the referral packetYou can also print this full page with your browser’s print command. It keeps the preparation steps, recovery questions, day-of plan, and before-you-leave question while removing site navigation.