Last updated: May 20, 2026
Urgent help in Georgia
If you or your children are in immediate danger, call 911. If calling is not safe, move to a safer place first if you can, such as a neighbor, store, school, hospital, police station, or another public place.
For domestic violence help, call Georgia’s 24-hour statewide hotline at 1-800-33-HAVEN (1-800-334-2836). The Georgia DV hotline routes callers to certified domestic violence programs across Georgia.
If you cannot safely call, the National DV Hotline offers chat and text support. Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), chat online, or text START to 88788.
Safety note: Phone, computer, browser, location, and app use can be monitored. Use a safer device if possible. Do not clear history if doing so may make someone suspicious. Ask an advocate for help with digital safety.
Bottom line
Georgia single mothers dealing with abuse can start with three places: the statewide domestic violence hotline, the Superior Court Clerk for a protective order, and a local advocate for shelter, legal help, housing, benefits, and child support safety. This guide is general information only. It is not legal, safety, medical, or benefits advice.
If you need broader help with bills, housing, food, or child care, use the Georgia state guide for Georgia single mothers after you have a safer way to read and call.
Where to start if you are not sure what to do
If you need a safe place tonight
Call the Georgia hotline and ask for the nearest certified domestic violence program. Ask about shelter, safety planning, transportation, court help, and children’s needs.
If you need court protection
Contact the Superior Court Clerk in the county where the respondent lives. Georgia says there is no cost to file under the Family Violence Act.
If you need food or child care
Apply through Georgia Gateway and tell the worker if abuse affects your address, appointments, child support cooperation, or work requirements.
Georgia’s most recent state family violence data page points to the 2025 Annual Family Violence Fact Sheet. It reports 214,047 family violence incidents over 2020 to 2024 and says domestic-violence-related fatalities increased nearly 4% over that five-year period. The GCFV data page is a good source for statewide context, but your next step should be based on your own safety and local help.
Quick reference table
| Need | Start here | Reality check |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate danger | Call 911 or go to a safer public place. | Hotlines are not emergency responders. |
| Domestic violence shelter | Call 1-800-334-2836 or use DV center search. | Beds and services can change daily. |
| Protective order | Use the Georgia TPO guide and your Superior Court Clerk. | The full hearing is usually within 30 days. |
| Food, TANF, Medicaid | Use Georgia Gateway. | Keep a safe mailing address and phone number. |
| Housing crisis | Call the DCA entry line at 1-844-249-8367. | Coordinated entry does not guarantee a unit. |
| Legal help | Try Georgia Legal Services or Atlanta Legal Aid. | Legal aid may screen by income and county. |
Protective orders in Georgia
A protective order is a court order. It can tell the other person not to contact you, not to come near you, and not to threaten or harass you. In some cases, it can also address temporary custody, visitation, child support, housing, and property issues.
Georgia has different protective order paths, including family violence, stalking, and employer protective orders. The state’s protective order forms page has official statewide forms, but counties may have local steps. Ask the clerk or a court advocate what your county requires.
| Step | What happens | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare | Write down dates, threats, injuries, police calls, texts, photos, and witnesses. | “Can an advocate help me file?” |
| File | File with the Superior Court Clerk in the county where the respondent lives. | “Is there a same-day ex parte review?” |
| Hearing | A judge may set a full hearing within 30 days after filing. | “Can I request child-related terms?” |
| After order | The sheriff must serve the respondent. Keep certified copies with you. | “How do I check service?” |
Do not assume a court order creates a full safety plan by itself. Talk with an advocate before and after filing, especially if the other person has weapons, has threatened to take the children, tracks your phone, or controls money.
For more help with legal issues, see ASMOM’s Georgia page for legal help.
Shelter, rent, and housing safety
If you need shelter, start with the statewide hotline. Advocates may help with shelter placement, transportation planning, legal advocacy, children’s needs, and referrals. If you are in Atlanta or another metro area, local domestic violence programs may also have their own housing intake steps.
If you are homeless, leaving soon, or unsafe where you live, Georgia’s Balance of State Coordinated Entry line can connect people to emergency shelter or housing assistance access points. This is separate from the domestic violence hotline. It can help, but housing resources are limited and often prioritized by need.
Georgia law may let a tenant end a residential lease early after a qualifying family violence or stalking order. The law says the termination can be effective 30 days after written notice when the legal requirements are met. Review Georgia lease law and ask legal aid or an advocate before giving notice.
If you live in federally assisted housing, VAWA may give you housing protections tied to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. HUD explains these rights on its VAWA housing rights page. Ask your housing authority, landlord, or advocate for the forms, but do not share unsafe details without support.
For a broader list of rent and shelter options, use ASMOM’s Georgia guide to housing help and the page on emergency help.
Money, food, child care, and health coverage
Domestic violence can affect work, food, child care, medical needs, transportation, and paperwork. Start with the programs below, but be careful about addresses, notices, online accounts, and phone messages.
| Program | What it may help with | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Crime victims compensation | Medical bills, counseling, lost wages, loss of support, funeral costs, and cleanup within program limits. | Use CJCC compensation. |
| SNAP | Monthly food benefits. Some very low-income households may get expedited help. | Use Georgia SNAP. |
| TANF | Cash assistance and work support for eligible families with children. | Ask DFCS about family violence waivers. |
| CAPS child care | Help paying for child care while working, training, in school, or meeting program rules. | Review CAPS policy. |
| WIC | Food and nutrition support for pregnant women, postpartum mothers, babies, and children under 5. | Check WIC guidelines. |
| Medicaid and health care | Coverage for eligible children, pregnant people, parents, and other groups. | Use Georgia Gateway and confirm notices. |
Georgia’s Crime Victims Compensation Program may help after a violent crime when other sources do not cover the cost. CJCC lists a maximum award of $25,000 per victim, per victimization, with category limits. There are reporting and filing deadlines, so ask an advocate for help as soon as you can safely do it.
For food, see ASMOM’s Georgia guide to SNAP help. If you are pregnant, postpartum, breastfeeding, or caring for a child under 5, the Georgia page for WIC help may also help. For child care, see Georgia child care.
If you lost work or had to leave a job because of safety, use ASMOM’s page on job loss help. For medical coverage and clinics, use the Georgia guide to healthcare help. For power, water, or heating problems, see utility help.
Children, custody, school, and child support safety
If children are in immediate danger, call 911. If you need to report child abuse or neglect that is not an immediate emergency, Georgia DFCS says reports are taken 24 hours a day through Child Protective Services at 1-855-GA-CHILD (1-855-422-4453). The DFCS child abuse page explains where to report.
If you are filing for a protective order, ask whether the order can include temporary terms about custody, visitation, support, school pickup, daycare pickup, and contact with children. Do not rely on verbal promises when safety is involved.
Child support can be helpful, but it may also create safety concerns if the other parent can see addresses, hearing dates, or contact information. Georgia DCSS has a Georgia SAVES page for domestic violence resources and safe child support access. Ask DCSS how it can protect your information before opening or changing a case.
For more about support cases, use ASMOM’s Georgia guide to child support. If safety makes cooperation with child support unsafe in a TANF or benefits case, ask DFCS about family violence good-cause options.
Local help and resource finders
Local help matters because shelter space, court process, transportation, and benefits offices vary by county. You may need several calls.
- 211 Georgia: Dial 211 or use Georgia 211 for food, housing, utilities, health care, and local nonprofit referrals.
- Legal aid: The GCFV legal page lists Atlanta Legal Aid and GLSP legal resources for survivors.
- Georgia LegalAid: The LegalAid DV guide explains protective orders, custody, support, and property issues in plain language.
- Sexual assault help: RAINN offers the sexual assault hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), plus chat support.
- Mental health crisis: Georgia DBHDD lists 988 and the Georgia Crisis and Access Line on its crisis system page.
For practical local support after the first safety steps, ASMOM also has a Georgia guide to community support and a page for mental health.
Documents and information checklist
Bring only what you can safely access. Do not go back to an unsafe place to collect papers. An advocate can help you plan safer ways to replace documents.
| Item | Why it helps | Safety note |
|---|---|---|
| Photo ID | Courts, shelters, benefits, and banks may ask for identity. | Ask about options if it was taken. |
| Children’s records | School, child care, Medicaid, WIC, and custody issues. | Copies can often be replaced. |
| Evidence | Texts, photos, police reports, medical records, and witnesses may help court cases. | Save only in a safe place. |
| Income and bills | Benefits, child care, housing, and victim compensation may ask for proof. | Use a safe email or mailing address. |
| Lease or housing papers | Needed for lease, VAWA, eviction, or housing help. | Ask legal aid before notices. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Posting plans online. Do not post where you are going, court dates, new school plans, or shelter details.
- Using an unsafe phone. Ask an advocate about phone tracking, shared plans, location services, and cloud accounts.
- Skipping the full hearing. If you file for a protective order, missing the hearing can lead to dismissal.
- Giving benefits offices an unsafe address. Ask about safe mailing options before notices go out.
- Assuming child support is always safe. Ask DCSS about safety protections before sharing contact details.
- Moving without advice. Lease, custody, school, benefits, and protective order issues can overlap.
Backup options if the first call does not work
If one shelter is full, ask the advocate to check nearby programs and safe alternatives. If you cannot get through to one hotline, try the national hotline, 211, or a trusted local advocacy office. If your benefits case is delayed, ask for a supervisor and write down the date, time, and name of each person you speak with.
If you need basic items after leaving, the ASMOM Georgia page for household items may help after your immediate safety plan is in place.
Phone scripts you can use
Calling the domestic violence hotline
“I am in Georgia and I need domestic violence help. I have children with me. I need to know about shelter, safety planning, court advocacy, and transportation. Is this a safe time to talk, or can we set a safer call plan?”
Calling the Superior Court Clerk
“I need to file for a family violence protective order. Can you tell me where to go, what hours petitions are accepted, whether advocates are available, and what I should bring if I have children?”
Calling DFCS or Georgia Gateway
“I left because of domestic violence and need help with food, Medicaid, TANF, or child care. I need a safe mailing address and I may need a family violence waiver or good-cause review. Who can screen my case?”
Calling child support
“I need child support information, but there is domestic violence in my case. Before I apply, I need to know how my address, phone number, court notices, and safety concerns can be protected.”
Resumen en español
Si usted o sus hijos están en peligro inmediato, llame al 911. Para ayuda por violencia doméstica en Georgia, llame al 1-800-33-HAVEN (1-800-334-2836). También puede llamar a la Línea Nacional de Violencia Doméstica al 1-800-799-7233, usar chat, o enviar START al 88788.
Puede pedir ayuda con refugio, planificación de seguridad, una orden de protección, comida, cuidado infantil, vivienda, compensación para víctimas, y asistencia legal. Si no es seguro usar su teléfono o computadora, use un dispositivo más seguro o pida ayuda a una defensora.
FAQ
What number should I call for domestic violence help in Georgia?
Call Georgia’s statewide domestic violence hotline at 1-800-33-HAVEN (1-800-334-2836). If you are in immediate danger, call 911 first.
Can a single mother get a protective order in Georgia?
Yes, if the facts fit Georgia law. A protective order petition is filed with the Superior Court Clerk, usually in the county where the respondent lives. There is no filing cost under the Family Violence Act.
Can a protective order include children?
It may include temporary terms about children, such as custody, contact, visitation, or support, depending on the case. Ask an advocate or lawyer what to request.
Can I get help with rent if I leave abuse?
Possibly. Start with a domestic violence advocate and Georgia coordinated entry. Help depends on shelter space, funding, eligibility, and local rules.
Should I apply for child support if there is abuse?
Child support may help, but it can create safety issues. Ask Georgia DCSS about safety protections and SAVES resources before you share address or contact information.
Can DFCS change benefit rules because of domestic violence?
Some TANF and child support cooperation rules may have family violence or good-cause options. Tell DFCS that safety is an issue and ask for the correct screening.
About this guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.
A Single Mother is independent and is not a government agency, benefits office, lender, law firm, medical provider, or tax advisor.
Program rules, funding, local availability, and eligibility can change. Always confirm details with the official program before you apply or make decisions.
Verification: Last verified May 20, 2026, next review August 20, 2026.
Corrections: If you see something wrong or outdated, email suggestions@asinglemother.org.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, immigration, disability, safety, or government-agency advice.