Without 24/7 hotline, domestic violence survivors in Maricopa County must work harder to find help

Domestic violence survivors in Maricopa County have lost access to SafeDVS, the 24/7 hotline that connected callers with emergency resources, according to A New Leaf, the nonprofit behind the program.

Spokesperson Tanner Swanson says help is still available, though the hotline is no longer operating.

“So we’ve seen federal funding cuts that have really impacted services, and as a result, they had to shut down the hotline,” Swanson told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News on Wednesday.

SafeDVS — Safe Access for Expedited Domestic Violence Services — had served as a central call center connecting survivors with legal help, shelter options and other support. Now, finding help will be more complicated.

“When a survivor is seeking assistance, what they’re gonna have to do is call around to different service providers, trying to get the help that they need, and that can be a big deterrent for survivors who might just need assistance finding shelter, finding counseling, finding court protection,” Swanson said.

He said this is a big problem.

“The scary part of it is: You’re not going to be able to reach a person that easily,” Swanson explained. “For folks who are in crisis, that can make all the difference.”

How does this impact domestic violence survivors in Maricopa County?

Because every domestic violence situation is different, victims need immediate support tailored to their specific challenges.

“When someone reaches out for help, it’s usually the most critical and dangerous time for a survivor, so making sure that we can meet those challenges immediately is important,” Swanson said.

Every second counts because the moment when someone is willing or able to reach out for help can pass quickly.

“Sometimes it’s a really narrow window, too, when people are willing to reach out and get that help or they’ve confided in a friend and that friend is helping to walk them through the process and that time frame might close very quickly,” Swanson explained.

Survivors can still find help through ArizonaSurvivors.org, a centralized digital resource, he said.

“It provides all the different services across Maricopa County, all the shelter providers and service providers for domestic violence services. And those services are still available,” Swanson said.

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