City help guide
Domestic Violence Help in Houston, TX
Free, confidential help in Houston — a local 24/7 hotline, where to file for a protective order in Harris County, free legal help, and shelters and programs near you.
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Get help now in Texas
Texas Council on Family Violence
Texas’s coalition doesn’t publish a separate statewide crisis line — this is their office number. For 24/7 crisis help, call the National Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, and the coalition can connect you to local programs.
Visit the coalition’s website — local programs, shelters, and advocates across Texas.
National Domestic Violence Hotline — free, confidential, 24/7:
Call 1-800-799-7233 Text “START” to 88788 thehotline.org
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If this device may be monitored, use a phone or computer your abuser has never had access to — a library, a friend, a work device.
Help in Houston
Houston Area Women’s Center (HAWC)
HAWC’s 24/7 domestic violence hotline for the Houston area. hawc.org
File for protection in Harris County
280th District Court (Protective Order Court) — Harris County Juvenile Justice Center
1200 Congress St., Houston, TX 77002
Protective order applications are typically started with the Harris County District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Division intake in the same building (2nd floor), Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM. DA protective order line: (713) 274-0212.
Harris County District Clerk — Family Courts
Free legal help in Houston
Lone Star Legal Aid (Houston office) — Free civil legal aid, including domestic violence and family law, serving Harris County. Call (713) 652-0077 (toll-free 800-733-8394). lonestarlegal.org
Local 2-1-1 — 211 Texas / United Way HELPLINE
211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE — Operated by United Way of Greater Houston, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Dial 2-1-1 — free and confidential. unitedwayhouston.org
Shelters and programs near Houston
Shelters don’t publish their street addresses — for good reason. As of November 6, 2026, DomesticShelters.org lists 7 domestic violence shelters and programs in Houston, TX — 4 offering a hotline and 4 offering emergency shelter — plus 21 more programs nearby. Search there for filters like 24/7 hotlines, emergency shelter, pets, language, and accessibility.
More on the Texas page
Protective-order steps, address confidentiality options, and the state coalition are covered on the Texas help page. For planning ahead, read the safety plan and go-bag checklist and the phone, tech, and privacy safety checklist on the main page.
Last verified: November 6, 2026