Last updated: May 20, 2026
Urgent help first
If you or your children are in immediate danger, call 911. If it is not safe to call from your own phone, use a safe phone if you can.
The Indiana DV program finder can help you find local programs across Indiana. You can also call the 24-hour Indiana domestic violence hotline at 800-332-7385. The National DV Hotline answers calls at 800-799-7233, text START to 88788, and offers online chat.
Safety note: Internet use can be monitored. If someone may be watching your phone, browser, email, location, or accounts, contact an advocate from a safer device before making big changes.
Bottom line
Indiana has help for single mothers dealing with domestic violence, but the right first step depends on what is happening now. Some mothers need emergency shelter. Some need help filing a protection order. Some need food, child care, benefits, a safer address, or legal help with housing and custody.
This guide is not legal advice or a safety plan. It is a practical starting point. For a plan that fits your situation, call a domestic violence advocate first when you can do so safely.
Where to start in Indiana
Start with the safest need, not the loudest paperwork. If you need to leave tonight, call the Indiana hotline or a local program. If you are in subsidized housing, ask about VAWA housing protections before you move out. If money is the main barrier, apply for benefits and ask an advocate about safe contact methods.
If you need shelter
Call 800-332-7385 or ask a local program for shelter and advocacy options. Shelter space can change by day.
If you need court help
The Indiana courts explain protection orders through the court help page. An advocate can help you think about safety before filing.
If you need basics
Use Indiana 211 for food, rent, utility, transportation, and local agency referrals. Tell 211 if your contact information must stay private.
Quick reference: who to contact
| Need | Start here | Reality check |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate danger | Call 911 | Ask for emergency help if you or your child may be harmed now. |
| Domestic violence shelter or advocate | Call 800-332-7385 or ask for the nearest local domestic violence program. | Availability varies. Programs may offer non-shelter help too. |
| National 24/7 help | Call 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788 through the national hotline. | Ask about safe ways to chat or call if your device is watched. |
| Protection order | Use Indiana courts’ e-filing guide. | Filing can affect risk. Talk with an advocate when possible. |
| Legal help | Try Indiana Legal Help. | Free legal help is limited and may have intake rules. |
| Housing questions | Ask about the Legal Housing Hotline. | Survivors can call or text 317-762-5115 for housing questions. |
Finding shelter, advocacy, and local support
Domestic violence programs can do more than provide a bed. Depending on the program and funding, they may help with safety planning, court support, child needs, referrals, transportation planning, and support groups. ICADV says local programs serve survivors and children through trained advocates, and some programs offer residential services, mobile advocacy, or transitional housing.
Use the statewide domestic violence program list to look by region. If you cannot find a safe opening near you, call the hotline and ask whether another program can help.
Do not assume shelter is the only help
If shelter is full, ask about mobile advocacy, a safety plan, legal advocacy, food help, child care referrals, or other safe housing options. Some programs can still help even if you are staying with family, in your own apartment, in a motel, or in a car.
Protection orders in Indiana
A protection order is a court order. It may help limit contact or set other rules, but it is not a guarantee of safety. Indiana courts warn that filing can increase risk in some situations. If you can, talk with an advocate before you file.
Indiana allows online filing through the Protection Order E-filing service. The court help page says protection orders may be used for domestic or family violence, sexual assault, stalking, harassment, or child sex grooming. Indiana Legal Help also keeps protection order resources in one place.
| Before filing | Why it matters | Who can help |
|---|---|---|
| Talk with an advocate | They can help you think through timing, service, school pickup, work, and safe contact. | Local DV program or hotline |
| Write down key facts | Dates, threats, injuries, police calls, texts, photos, and child safety issues may matter. | Advocate or legal aid |
| Think about your address | Court papers may include contact details unless you ask how to protect them. | Court clerk or advocate |
| Plan for service | Risk can change when the other person is served. | Advocate and law enforcement |
If you need legal help, the ICADV legal program works through local domestic violence programs for some emergency civil legal issues. Indiana Legal Services also handles some family law cases where domestic violence is involved through ILS family law services.
Keeping your address safer
The Indiana Attorney General runs the Address Confidentiality Program, also called ACP. It can give eligible survivors a substitute address for certain state and local government records. The program is free, but it is not witness protection and cannot promise complete safety.
ACP applications must be signed by a trained victim advocate. If you are moving, filing court papers, changing schools, or updating benefits, ask an advocate if ACP may fit your situation before you put a new address on forms.
Housing rights if you rent or have subsidized housing
If you live in public housing, have a Housing Choice Voucher, or live in certain HUD-assisted housing, federal VAWA housing protections may help. The HUD VAWA page has official forms and information about survivor housing rights.
Possible protections can include asking for an emergency transfer, asking to remove the abuser from the lease when allowed, or showing that abuse should not be treated as your fault. Rules depend on the housing program and the facts. Keep copies of anything you give your landlord, housing authority, or property manager.
Ask for the right words
When you call a housing office, say: “I am a survivor of domestic violence and I need to ask about VAWA rights and the emergency transfer process.” If you do not feel safe saying this on your phone, ask an advocate to help.
Food, health care, child care, and bills while you get safe
Leaving abuse can cause a fast money crisis. Indiana benefit offices may not move as fast as you need, so use both official benefits and local help. For broad state help, start with the Indiana grants guide on ASMOM, then use official applications below.
| Need | Official start | Important note |
|---|---|---|
| Food help | Apply or ask questions through Indiana SNAP food assistance. | SNAP rules include income and resource tests. Ask how to handle a safe mailing address. |
| Cash help | Use Indiana TANF cash assistance information. | If child support cooperation could be unsafe, ask about good cause. |
| Health coverage | Adults can check the Healthy Indiana Plan. | Children, pregnancy, and disability-related coverage may use other Medicaid categories. |
| WIC | Pregnant mothers and children under 5 can contact Indiana WIC. | WIC can help with food benefits, nutrition support, and referrals. |
| Child care | Apply through Indiana child care assistance. | Indiana has a child care assistance waitlist for new voucher applicants. |
| Utility bills | Check Indiana energy assistance. | The state says the current EAP application is closed and should reopen in fall 2026. |
| Crime-related costs | Review victim compensation through ICJI. | This is a payer of last resort and has rules, proof needs, and deadlines. |
For TANF cases, Indiana child support policy allows DFR to consider good cause when cooperation with paternity or child support would put a mother or child at risk. Do not guess how to answer those questions. Ask your caseworker for the good cause process, and ask an advocate or legal aid office for help if you are worried about safety.
Documents and information checklist
Only gather documents if it is safe. Do not risk harm to get paperwork. An advocate can help you decide what matters most.
| Item | Useful for | Safety note |
|---|---|---|
| Photo ID, birth certificates, Social Security cards | Benefits, school, housing, court | Copies may help if originals are unsafe to get. |
| Lease, eviction papers, voucher papers | VAWA housing rights and rent help | Ask for safe mailing and email options. |
| Pay stubs, benefit letters, child support records | SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, child care | Tell the office if your old address is unsafe. |
| Police reports, photos, texts, medical papers | Protection orders or victim compensation | Store evidence only where it cannot be accessed by the abusive person. |
| School and child care contacts | Pickup safety and emergency contacts | Ask an advocate how to share court orders safely. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Changing everything at once without support. A hotline advocate can help you think through timing.
- Using a watched phone or email. Use a safer device when possible.
- Moving out of subsidized housing without asking about VAWA. Ask before you give up a voucher or unit.
- Missing benefit notices. If mail is unsafe, ask about ACP, a safe mailing address, or online notices.
- Assuming a denial is final. Benefits, housing, and victim compensation programs often have appeal or review steps.
If you are denied, delayed, ignored, or overwhelmed
Ask for the decision in writing. Ask what deadline applies. Ask if there is an appeal, supervisor review, or second intake path. If you are dealing with court, housing, child support, or benefits tied to safety, contact legal help as soon as you can.
For fast local referrals, call Indiana 211 and say what county you are in, what you need today, and whether it is safe to leave a voicemail. For legal aid, the Indiana Legal Services family law page is a good starting point for domestic violence-related civil legal issues.
Phone scripts you can use
Calling a domestic violence program
“Hi, I am a single mother in Indiana and I need confidential help. I may need shelter, safety planning, and help with my children. Is this a safe time to explain what is happening?”
Calling a court or advocate about a protection order
“I need information about filing for a protection order. I want to understand safe ways to file, what address information may appear, and what happens after service.”
Calling a housing office
“I am asking about VAWA housing protections. I need to know how to request an emergency transfer or other safety help, and how to keep my contact information private.”
Calling DFR about TANF or benefits
“I need to apply or update my case, but domestic violence makes some information unsafe to share. How do I request safe contact and ask about good cause for child support cooperation?”
Resumen en español
Si usted o sus hijos están en peligro inmediato, llame al 911. Para ayuda confidencial por violencia doméstica en Indiana, llame al 800-332-7385. También puede llamar a la lÃnea nacional al 800-799-7233 o enviar START al 88788.
Antes de presentar una orden de protección, mudarse, cambiar beneficios o dar una nueva dirección, hable con una defensora si puede hacerlo de forma segura. Pregunte por refugio, ayuda legal, derechos de vivienda, beneficios, cuidado infantil y maneras de proteger su dirección.
FAQ
What number should I call for domestic violence help in Indiana?
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For confidential domestic violence help in Indiana, call 800-332-7385. You can also call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.
Can a single mother get shelter with children in Indiana?
Many domestic violence programs help survivors with children, but space and services vary. Call the Indiana hotline or a local domestic violence program to ask what is available today.
Can I file for a protection order online in Indiana?
Indiana has a Protection Order E-filing service. Because filing can affect safety, the courts and advocates suggest talking with an advocate when possible before you file.
Can I keep my address private?
Indiana has an Address Confidentiality Program for eligible survivors. An application must be signed by a trained victim advocate, and the program is not a complete safety guarantee.
What if child support cooperation is unsafe?
If you are applying for TANF and child support cooperation could put you or your child at risk, ask DFR about good cause. A domestic violence advocate or legal aid office may help you explain the safety issue.
Does VAWA help if I am in subsidized housing?
VAWA may protect survivors in many HUD-assisted housing programs. Ask your housing provider about VAWA rights, emergency transfers, and safe ways to submit documents.
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.
Last updated: May 20, 2026. Next review: August 20, 2026.
Corrections: If you see something wrong or outdated, email suggestions@asinglemother.org with corrections.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, immigration, disability, safety, or government-agency advice.