The following programs offer free services to survivors and their families.
Services can include:
- help finding shelter and housing,
- legal help in restraining order and family law cases,
- financial planning,
- counseling services,
- educational and community outreach,
- employment workshops,
Not all programs offer all these services.
Most programs are multilingual.
If you are unsure which program to contact, you can call Safelink, a toll-free 24 hour Domestic Violence HelpLine, which can direct you to different services. 1-877-785-2020.
Massachusetts Legal Aid Programs
Legal services programs offer a variety of free civil legal help to low income Massachusetts residents. Areas of practice include domestic violence, family law, housing, consumer law, income and benefits, unemployment, health law, and immigration.
De Novo (formally Community Legal Services and Counseling Center CLSCC)
(617) 661-1010
Greater Boston Legal Services
(617) 371-1234
Community Legal Aid
(855) 252-5342
Northeast Legal Aid
(978) 458-1465
MetroWest Legal Services
(508)-620-1830 or (800) 696-1501
South Coastal Counties Legal Services
(800) 244-9023
Volunteer Lawyers Project
(617) 423-0648
Women's Bar Foundation
Family Law Project for Domestic Abuse Survivors
(617) 973-6666
Law School Clinics
Law school clinics provide free legal representation in a variety of criminal and non-criminal legal matters. A number of clinics focus exclusively on domestic violence and poverty law issues. Students are certified to practice under the supervision of experienced clinical faculty.
Boston College Legal Services LAB
(617) 552-0248
Harvard Legal Aid Bureau
(617) 495-4408
Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School
(617) 522-3003
New England School of Law
(617) 422-7380
Northeastern University School of Law
(617) 373-8617 or (617) 373-8249
Suffolk University Law School
(617) 573-8100
Domestic Violence Service Providers
Some of the programs listed here have lawyers. Some have legal advocates. Many have other services and programs including shelter, housing advocacy, counseling services, financial workshops, job training programs, and others. Contact the program for details.
Statewide:
- Safelink
Toll-free 24 hour Domestic Violence Helpline, operated by Casa Myrna Vazquez: 1-877-785-2020
Boston:
- Casa Myrna Vazquez
Legal Advocacy Program Helpline: (617) 521-0146
Phone: (617) 521-0100
Bilingual Spanish and English services available. - Elizabeth Stone House
(617) 409-5400 or (617) 427-9801 - FINEX House
(617) 436-2002
Greater Boston:
- REACH (Refuge, Education, Advocacy, CHange)
Serving Acton, Arlington, Bedford, Belmont, Billerica, Boxborough, Burlington, Brookline, Carlisle, Concord, Dedham, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Maynard, Needham, Newton, Reading, Sudbury, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston, Wilmington, Winchester, Woburn
Phone: (781) 891-0724
Hotline: (800) 899-4000
Brockton:
- A New Day (a program of Health Imperatives)
(508) 588-8255, (888) 293-7273
or TTY: (508) 894-2869
Cambridge:
- Transition House
Phone: (617) 868-1650
Emergency hotline (24/7): (617) 661-7203
Cape Cod:
- Independence House
(508) 771-6507 or TTY: (508) 771-6782
Chelsea:
- HarborCOV
(617) 884-9909, (617) 884-9799
or TTY: dial 711 for MassRelay
Holyoke:
- Womanshelter/Companeras
(1-877) 536-1628 or (413) 536-1628
Spanish language support available.
Lawrence:
- YWCA of Northeastern Massachusetts
(978) 687-0331 or TTY: (978) 686-8840
Leominster and North/Central Massachusetts:
- YWCA Central Massachusetts (serving Greater Worcester and North Central Massachusetts)
Helpline: (508) 755-9030
Online Chat
Lowell:
- Alternative House
(978) 937-5777 or (1-888) 291-6228
Metrowest:
- Voices Against Violence
Phone: (508) 820-0834
24 hour hotline and TTY: 1-800-593-1125 or (508) 626-8686
Spanish and Portuguese services available.
New Bedford:
- The Women's Center (also serving Fall River)
(508) 996-3343, (508) 999-6636,
(508) 672-1222 or TTY: (508) 996-1177
Spanish or Portuguese bilingual support available.
Newburyport:
- Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center
Phone: (978) 834-9710
24 hour hotline: (978) 388-1888
Newton:
- The Second Step
(617) 965-3999 or [email protected]
Northampton:
- Safe Passage
Phone: (413) 586-1125
24 hour Hotline (Spanish and English): (413) 586-5066 or toll-free (888) 345-5282
Pittsfield:
- Elizabeth Freeman Center
(866) 401-2425 or (413) 499-2425
43 Francis Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201
Quincy:
- DOVE
(617) 471-1234, (888) 314-3683
or (617) 770-4065
Salem:
- Healing Abuse Working for Chack (HAWC)
(978) 744-8552 or (1-800)-547-1649
27 Congress Street, Salem, MA 01970
Somerville:
- RESPOND
Community Service Center Phone: (617) 625-5996
24 hour Multilingual Hotline: (617) 623-5900
(For TTY dial 711.)
Waltham:
- Jewish Family and Children's Services
(781) 647-5327
1430 Main Street, Waltham, MA 0245
Worcester:
- YWCA Central Massachusetts (serving Greater Worcester and North Central Massachusetts)
Helpline: (508) 755-9030
Online Chat - New England Learning Center for Women in Transtion (NELCWIT)
(413) 772-0871, (413) 772-0806 or
(888) 249-0806
479 Main Street, Greenfield, MA 01302 - New Hope (also serving Attleboro, Taunton and Webster)
(1-800) 323-HOPE (4673)
For Spanish support: (1-800) 223-5001
For TTY: (1-508) 852-7600