If you need someone now
| Service | Contact | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 911 | Immediate danger to you or someone else. |
| RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline | 1-800-656-4673 | Free and confidential, 24 hours a day, anywhere in the US. Routes you to a trained counsellor at a local provider. |
| NYS Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline | 1-800-942-6906 | New York State’s own hotline for sexual and domestic violence. |
| NYS Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment | 1-800-342-3720 | To report suspected abuse or maltreatment of a child in New York. |
Finding a rape crisis programme near you
New York has 73 rape crisis programmes approved by the State Department of Health. The New
York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault maintains a directory of them, searchable by
county:
NYSCASA, find your local rape crisis program
These programmes provide counselling and advocacy, including accompaniment to hospital or
to court, and they are free.
Using these does not commit you to anything legal
Talking to a hotline or a crisis centre does not start a legal case, does not create a
record you have to give us, and does not affect whether you can bring a civil claim later.
Nor does it require you to make a police report.
The reverse is also true: speaking to a lawyer does not oblige you to speak to anyone else.
If all you want at this point is support rather than a case, the services above are the right
place, and nothing on this page asks you to contact us.
Do I have to report to the police to get help from these services?
No. The hotlines and crisis programmes above are independent of law enforcement and do not require a report. The child abuse register is a reporting line specifically, so that one is different in kind. It exists to receive reports about a child who may currently be at risk.
Will contacting a hotline affect a future claim?
No. It does not start a clock, close one, or create an obligation. People often speak to a hotline years before they speak to a lawyer, and many never speak to a lawyer at all.
Are these services free?
Yes. Every service listed above is free, and the hotlines are confidential.