Free National Helpline
0508 744 633Call free from anywhere in New Zealand |
Hours
7.30am - 11pm, Monday - Friday |
Sponsored by
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Are you worried about your relationship?
Do you change your behaviour because you're frightened of your partner's reaction?
Is someone you know in an abusive relationship?
You don't have to deal with this by yourself. We can talk about ways to plan to be safe, or about how you might be able to help your friend or family member become safe.
We're here to help you. Call us -- it's free and confidential to talk.
How We Can Help
Firstly, we can just be there to listen if that is what you need.
- We can help you to better understand what's going on in your relationship, whether it is abuse, and how much danger you are in.
- We can acknowledge all of the things that you are already doing to keep yourself and your children safe.
- We can help you sort through your available options, and help you come up with the best plan for becoming safer.
- We can talk to you about whether and/or how your children are being affected, and how you can best help them to cope.
- We can give you referral information for other people and organisations that might be able to help you, such as District Court Victim Advisors, Women's Refuges, Domestic Violence Programmes for victims, offenders and children, etc.
- We can give you information about getting a Protection Order, and about Police Safety Orders.
- If you are having a problem with an organisation that should be helping you, such as the Police or Child, Youth and Family, we can help you figure out what steps to take next.
How the Shine Helpline Operates
The Helpline continues to receive thousands of calls every year from callers seeking help, information and support, and from others wanting to help people they know who are experiencing domestic abuse.
Our nationwide toll-free number ensures everyone has access to professional domestic abuse support and services when they are needed -- especially those with limited financial resources.
Shine Helpline staff share call centres with Youthline and Lifeline, which is a very practical use of resources. There has been very little turnover of Helpline staff from when it became staffed by paid employees several years ago. (Previously calls were answered by volunteers.) The small number of vacancies during this time have been filled by trained Shine callout volunteers or students who completed the Shine Family Violence paper through Unitec. (Read more about this Unitec paper in Training Programmes)
Helpline staff are supported by an onsite Manager as well as the Shine Helpline Clinical Supervisor who provides onsite training and mentoring for staff.