EMpowerME
Click here to leave this site immediately!

 Home    Get Educated    Get Help     Contacts      Links 

There are several stages of abuse and depending upon which stage a you are in, you will need different forms of help. The links below will provide information about each stage as well as contact information for resources in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. By clicking on the statements below, you will find resources to help you decide what to do next.

  1. I think my partner may be abusing me, but I'm not sure.
  2. I know my partner is abusing me but I'm not sure what to do next.
  3. I think I want to leave my partner but I'm not sure how.
  4. I think I am in danger and I need to leave NOW.

    If you are in great danger, you should call 911. Once the abuse has ended and it is safe for you to leave, do so as soon as possible. If you have friends or family who can help you, go to them. If you do not have family or friends that can help you, you can go to a homeless shelter or a shelter specifically for women. Shelters for women will provide you with safety and protect your privacy. The Family Violence Prevention Center offers temporary shelter for women; the link below will tell you how to get to the Family Violence Prevention Center.

    If you have children, you should take the children with you. When you leave, you should immediately file for temporary protective custody of your children and also file for a Personalized Protection Order (PPO) against the abuser. The link below will tell you exactly who to call at the Orange County Police Department to get help with these things.

    Remember, at this point the most important thing is your safety. Finding shelter is your first priority. Once you have this, local shelters can help you find food from places like the Inter-Faith Council and help you get back on your feet. They can also point you to resources such as legal assistance, temporary housing, and employment. The Women's Center of Chapel Hill offers documents on all of these resources and can help you find an attorney. To find temporary housing, you may have contact people in nearby Chatham County to find government-assisted housing. Private government-assisted housing is offered in Chapel Hill by Edna Health; however, the waitlist here is quite long. The link below will take you to direct contact information for these resources.

    Click here for resources that can help you get out of the abusive environment immediately.
  5. I would like to leave my partner and I want to plan it out.
  6. I have left my partner but I still need help.
 Cover Your Tracks     About Us    Contact Us