Wisconsin Domestic Violence Resources & Safety Checklists

Shelters, safety steps, legal help, and practical DV toolkits for Wisconsin survivors.

Wisconsin Domestic Abuse Resources

Overview

This page lists options, not advice. Services can change. Contact programs directly to confirm details.

Statewide and Regional Hotlines (Wisconsin)

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 (phone), 887-888-6589 (TTY), or online chat at thehotline.org
• End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin (state coalition): Information, statewide referrals, and program locator via their website or main office line
• Local county crisis lines: Often run by county health and human services or community mental health programs

Shelters and Advocacy Programs in Wisconsin

Options often include emergency shelter, hotel vouchers, safety planning, and advocacy. Availability varies by location.

How to Locate a Shelter in Wisconsin

• Use the state coalition directory for domestic abuse programs in Wisconsin
• Search for “domestic violence shelter” plus your Wisconsin county or nearest city
• Call a statewide or national hotline and ask for:
  • Nearest domestic abuse shelter
  • Programs that accept people with children
  • Programs with accessible rooms or language access

Common Shelter Services

• Short-term emergency housing
• 24-hour helpline and intake
• Safety planning support
• Advocates for court, protection orders, and systems navigation
• Support with benefits, housing applications, and referrals
• Children’s services and school liaison in some locations

Questions You Can Ask a Wisconsin Shelter or Program

• “Do you serve my county or city?”
• “Do you have space available now?”
• “What are your rules about visitors, curfew, and length of stay?”
• “Can I bring children or other family members?”
• “What documentation, if any, do you ask for?”
• “Do you work with people who have immigration concerns?”
• “Can you help with transportation to shelter?”

Digital Safety Checklist (Wisconsin-Friendly)

These steps focus on lowering risk. They cannot guarantee privacy or safety.

Phones and Devices

• Check if your phone is shared, monitored, or paid for by the other person
• Review installed apps for unfamiliar items (especially tracking, family locator, or “cleaner” apps)
• Turn off Bluetooth, location, and sharing when not needed
• Consider using a different device for sensitive searches, if that is a safe option
• Sign out of accounts on devices the other person can access

Accounts and Passwords

• Change passwords from a device you believe is safer
• Use different passwords for:
  • Email
  • Banking or benefit accounts
  • Social media
  • Cloud storage and backup
• Update backup email and phone numbers so they are not shared
• Turn off “password sharing” or “keychain” with shared devices

Location Sharing and Tracking

• Check “Find My” or similar services for:
  • Shared locations
  • Shared devices (tablets, watches, laptops)
• Review social media settings for:
  • Automatic location tags on posts
  • Friends seeing your location on maps
• Check your car’s app or navigation system for location history and sharing
• Check Wi-Fi networks you auto-connect to and remove unsafe ones

Online Activity and Search History

• Use private or incognito browsing for sensitive searches
• Clear browsing history and recent tabs if safe to do so
• Log out of sensitive websites after use
• Consider using public computers (library, trusted place) for research

Communication and Contact

• Review call logs and messages that could be seen on shared accounts
• Decide if it is safer to:
  • Keep communication patterns the same
  • Gradually change patterns
  • Use a separate phone for certain calls
• Check if messages sync to other devices (tablets, computers, watches)
• Turn off message previews on lock screens if safer

Evidence Suggestions (Wisconsin Context)

This section offers general documentation ideas. It is not legal advice and does not guarantee any legal result.

Before You Save or Store Evidence

• Consider where items will be kept (device, cloud, printed copy)
• Consider who can access that location
• Decide whether you want someone else (advocate, trusted contact) to hold copies
• Know that some courts or systems may have specific rules about evidence

Types of Information People Sometimes Document

• Written notes:
  • Dates and times of incidents
  • What happened in simple, factual language
  • Names of any potential witnesses
• Messages and calls:
  • Text messages or app messages (screenshots and exports if possible)
  • Voicemails or call logs showing patterns
  • Emails or social media messages
• Digital logs:
  • Photos of property damage after the fact
  • Copies of threatening or controlling posts, if relevant
  • Phone screenshots showing repeated calls
• System records:
  • Police incident numbers (if any reports were made)
  • Medical visit discharge papers, if obtained for any reason
  • School notes or reports involving children, if relevant

Storing and Organizing Information

• Keep a simple timeline with dates, times, and short descriptions
• Use clear file names, for example “2025-02-10-text-screenshot.png”
• Consider:
  • Cloud storage under a private account
  • USB drive or memory card kept in a safe location
  • Printed copies stored outside the home, if safe
• Keep copies of important documents:
  • Identification
  • Immigration records
  • Protection orders, if any
  • Custody or court papers, if any

Getting Help With Evidence in Wisconsin

• Community advocates can explain how they see people use documentation in Wisconsin systems
• Some legal aid programs offer brief advice clinics about documentation and court processes
• Courthouse self-help centers, when available, may share neutral procedural information
• Additional tools and directories for professional support are listed at https://www.dv.support.

Recommended Articles

• Safety Planning Checklist
• Digital Safety Basics
• Gathering and Storing Evidence Safely
• Protective Orders Overview
• Working With Advocates and Support Programs