If you are experiencing abuse and need help:
Please contact the Raksha office via phone at 404-876-0670 or toll free at 866-725-7423 during our normal business hours, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm or email us at raksha@raksha.org to ensure confidentiality.
Raksha office is closed after hours, weekends and some holidays. Please note that we are not a hotline and that your call will be returned in the order it was received within 24-48 hours. If your call is directed to our voicemail, please leave your name, number and a brief message and someone will return your call as soon as possible during the normal business hours. Please also let us know the best time to call you and if it’s safe for us to leave a message.
If you are in a life threatening situation or experiencing a domestic violence emergency, please contact 911 if it is safe to do so. We strongly urge you to make a police report if you are concerned about your (or your children’s) safety. Calling the police may impact you, but it is your right to receive protective services as a victim of violence. As a victim of violence, you may apply for a protective order, victim compensation, which are services that are available regardless of your immigration status.
If you need immediate assistance, here are some resources:
Georgia Resources:
- If you are in Georgia and need immediate mental health help, please call the Georgia crisis line at 1-800-715-4225. Additionally, Georgia’s youth can now access GCAL’s services via text and chat through a new app called My GCAL. The app will allow youth to call, text, or chat with GCAL 24/7/365. https://www.georgiacollaborative.com/providers/georgia-crisis-and-access-line-gcal/
- If you need referrals to Domestic Violence shelters, please check out this link for a list of local shelters: https://gcadv.org/domestic-violence-centers/ OR Call 1-800-33-HAVEN (2836)
- United Way of Greater Atlanta: Call 211 or access services online at http://211online.unitedwayatlanta.org/ 2‑1‑1 is available in multiple languages, allowing those in need to access information and obtain referrals to physical and mental health resources; housing, utility, food, and employment assistance; and suicide and crisis interventions.
National Resources:
- Crisis text line: Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime for any type of crisis. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds from a secure online platform.
- If you are in a domestic violence situation, please call the 24-hour National Domestic Violence Hotline t 1-800-799- SAFE (7233) https://www.thehotline.org/ OR Text “START” to 88788
- If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
- For sexual assault concerns, please call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) https://www.rainn.org/resources\
- For Human Trafficking, please call 1-888-373-7888 https://humantraffickinghotline.org/
- United Way 211: Call United Way at 211, a free and confidential service that helps people across North America find the local resources they need 24/7.
If you know someone experiencing abuse and want to help:
- Please ask them to call our office at 404-876-0670. If they are unable to call, they can email us at raksha@raksha.org. We are able to assist better when we have the necessary information we need directly from the individual who is experiencing the abuse or violence.
- Our helpline is open between 9am-5pm, Monday through Friday. We are not a 24/7 helpline so if the call is directed to our voicemail, please ask her to leave her name, number, a brief message with the best time for us to call back and and if it’s safe for us to leave a message. Someone will return the call as soon as possible during the normal business hours.
- Calls for help are addressed directly by Raksha direct services staff, who are trained and licensed to provide services and programs for survivors of violence and follow strict mandated processes and confidentiality protocols.
- We also offer trainings to community members that can help get a better understanding of how to help survivors – such as Domestic Violence 101 and Volunteer 101 Training (a requirement for new volunteers), as well as information on Raksha services and programs. To learn more about these trainings, contact outreach@raksha.org.