Support
Ministry of Health
Need to talk helpline 24/7 free text or call 1737
Lifeline Helpline
24/7 0800 LIFELINE or 0800 543 354
Lifeline Suicide Crisis Helpline
24/7 0508 TAUTOKO 0508 828 865
Youthline youth helpline
24/7 0800 37 66 33, text 234 (8am-midnight), email talk@youthline.co.nz
For young people
All of the agencies below provide emergency accommodation for women and their children. They may not be safe or welcoming for all women. Trans* women in particular may want to check before using them. Shine offers to help men find emergency accommodation.
NZ Women’s Refuge
If you are living in fear in your relationship or in your family, or know someone who is, you can get help right now. Women’s Refuge offer women and their children free advice, emergency accommodation and confidential advocacy services provided by women. (Women’s Refuge includes a network of Māori Refuges as well as general Refuges).
0800 REFUGE (733 843) 24/7
Shakti
Shakti is a not-for-profit community organisation working in the area of women’s development, empowerment and domestic/family violence intervention, prevention and awareness. We provide culturally competent support services for women, children and families of Asian, African and Middle Eastern origin.
0800 SHAKTI 24/7
New Zealand Prostitutes' Collective
New Zealand Prostitutes' Collective is a New Zealand wide organisation, which is run by sex workers for sex workers. We advocate for the rights, health, and well-being of all sex workers. We provide information and services for people who are doing sex work or thinking about doing sex work.
The first place most people turn to for support is friends and whānau. Friends and whānau are also more likely to give you the best support, and this website aims to help with that. Counsellors are often the next best choice. Sometimes you need urgent or specific help and can’t think of anywhere to go. Below is a list of agencies to try. Not all agencies will be safe or welcoming for everyone. There are a few things you can do to prepare.
When using agencies, get clear on what you want and don’t want before contacting them. You can use the tools on this website to help, especially What is going on (for people who have been harmed or people who have caused harm) and What do you want (for people who have been harmed or people who have caused harm).
It helps to have back up support from someone you know—you can use the tools in Who can help to think of someone who can support you (for people who have been harmed or people who have caused harm). Support could include helping you prepare, contacting the agency, going with you (to help ask for what you want, to make you feel stronger, to bear witness) and talking with you afterwards.
If there is no-one you know who can support you, some organisations might be able to help.