For a survivor of sexual assault, the aftermath of an attack is often chaotic and scary, but there is always a way to find help. According to hopelaws.org, there are 117 crisis centers in Texas, including six centers within 50 miles of Austin, including Safe Place, Hope Alliance in Round Rock and the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center in San Marcos. In addition to emergency shelters, there is an abundance of resources that are readily available to sexual assault victims, including counseling, legal services and confidential hotlines.

All sites recommend victims to dial 911 if they are in immediate danger, and some provide 24-hour hotlines if they are not in immediate danger to talk about their options and help them. The sites also recommend survivors to use a safe computer, like at a school or a public place because search histories are saved on personal computers. If victims want to be able to use the internet at home without their search history being saved, they can download the Google Chrome internet browser and select “new incognito window” from the menu.

According to Safe Place, a local sexual assault and domestic violence advocacy organization, a protective order that prohibits an offender from committing further acts of sexual assault may be an option for victims that had an intimate relationship with their attacker. Victims can go to the County Attorney’s Office on West 11th Street in Austin to speak to a representative from the Protective Order Division where their situation will be assessed to determine if a Temporary Protective Order should be issued.

APD Victim Services; (512) 974-5000; Hotline: (512-472-4357) 

The Victim Services Division of the Austin Police Department works to respond to the crime victim’s psychological and emotional needs through crisis intervention, counseling, advocacy, criminal justice support, compensation, information and referrals for victims of crime and trauma. The department points victims to a 24-hour crisis hotline (512-472-4357) hosted by Travis County Integral care. The hotline provides access to licensed counselors that provide immediate assessments, crisis intervention services and referral to other community resources. The department’s Crime Victims’ Compensation fund assists victims of sexual assault with expenses that are related to the crime.

Safe Place; (512) 267-7233; 1401 Grove Blvd, Austin, TX 78741

SafePlace is an Austin organization located off of East Riverside Drive that provides safety for individuals and families affected by sexual assault and domestic violence and helps victims to heal from their experiences. Safe Place urges victims to call their 24-hour hotline (512-267-7233) so trained staff and volunteers can help sexual assault survivors build a safety plan, find an emergency shelter and provide access to counseling. The hotline features a Spanish-speaking staff, relay service for deaf callers and interpretation services for callers who speak other languages. The organization also provides a trained SafePlace sexual assault advocate for survivors who want someone to accompany them to the hospital within 120 hours of their assault where they can receive a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurses Exam). The advocate will explain the victim’s medical and legal rights and make sure he or she has a ride from the hospital to a safe location. The website also has a quick “escape” button at the top of right corner of the page at all times, so victims of domestic and sexual assault can quickly navigate to the Austin American-Statesman website if their attacker enters the room.

Texas Advocacy Project: 888-296-7233 (Statewide) 512-225-9290 (In Austin)

Texas Advocacy Project, a non profit law firm, works directly with victims, shelters, law enforcement agencies and courts to provide free legal services statewide to victims of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. The organization also has Spanish-speaking attorneys, a language interpretation service for over 170 language and a service for deaf callers. The project focuses on providing services for victims who can’t get help from other service providers, either because they don’t meet income requirements or face geographical or language barriers. The project provides several specialized services for victims, including free legal hotlines and the Emergency Protective Order Program, to help them implement long-term legal solutions.

Hope Alliance Texas, 24-hour Crisis Hotline: 1-800-460-7233; 1011 Gattis School Rd #106, Round Rock, TX 78664

Founded in 1984 as a rape crisis center, Hope Alliance Texas provides services that help victims of family and sexual violence. Through its free and confidential 24-hour crisis hotline, Hope Alliance helps survivors of sexual assault can by helping them create a short-term safety plan, find emergency shelter and access counseling and legal services. Other services include assistance finding transitional housing, support groups and providing education on sexual assault and prevention. Hope Alliance’s emergency women and children’s shelter provides counseling and case management, and alternative shelter can be arranged for male survivors. If a victim has been assaulted within the last 120 hours, Hope Alliance can provide a certified sexual assault advocate that will meet him or her at the hospital for help and support during the SANE. The website urges victims to immediately call 911 after an assault, wait with a friend or family member for the police to arrive and preserve evidence by refraining from bathing, tending to wounds or changing clothes. Hope Alliance also provides court and law enforcement advocates for meeting with attorney, trials or filing a police report. The Hope Alliance Texas website also has an escape button at the center right of the page at all times that will instantly redirect to Google.com when clicked.

Sexual Assault Legal Services and Assistance (SALSA); Legal hotline: 888-343-4414

Sexual Assault Legal Services and Assistance, a project of the Texas Legal Services Center and the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault, features a legal hotline for victims of sexual assault. Survivors can call the SALSA hotline from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, for free and confidential sexual assault legal services and assistance from qualified lawyers. It provides legal help for some of the most pressing concerns a victim of sexual assault may have, including privacy, safety, finances, housing, employment and education. The organization provides clear legal answers to questions victims may have about their sexual assault, according to Texas law. The website also features an interactive map that lists the locations of crisis centers near your city or zip code. The website has a “quick site exit” button on the top left of the screen that will redirect the page to Google.com.