What To Expect When You Call the Safe+Sound Somerset Hotline
What To Expect When You Call the Safe+Sound Somerset Hotline
This week, we're talking about what to expect when you call or text the Safe+Sound Somerset hotline for information about dating or domestic abuse or in crisis.
This is Jessica Skultety, Community Outreach Associate at Safe+Sound Somerset. We are Somerset County New Jersey’s lead domestic violence organization, providing safety, hope and healing to survivors for 41 years.
When 1 out of 3 teens experiences dating abuse before high school graduation, it’s all of our responsibility to work together to end abuse once and for all. The Ask Ava series, developed by teens in our SPEAK Teen Leadership Camps, is designed to connect with and educate teens and those that care about them about teen dating abuse and healthy relationships. We'll be answering this week's question with a deeper look here on our podcast.
Today's question from local teens is:
Dear Ava: How do I call or text the Safe+Sound Somerset hotline? Will my parents be notified?
So first of all, no, your parents will not be notified if you call or text our hotline. We’re confidential. If you want to explore using some of our other services, we would need to contact parents. I’ll explain a little bit about that thatat soon.
But first, just to explain what we do at Safe+Sound Somerset - we receive between 3,000-4,000 calls and texts per year for information and in crisis. Your call is important to us and we want to make sure teens and adults know what to expect when they contact us. It's actually easier than it seems!
So teens and adults can call our 24/7 call or text hotline. Some examples of questions include: "My boyfriend or girlfriend just did this: is this healthy or unhealthy?" or, "My friend is in an abusive relationship – how do I help them?" Or, “I want to hear more about some of the services you offer at no charge in Somerset County.” The hotline is a safe, confidential way to get some answers.
When you call the hotline, staff will answer “Hi! Can I help you?” We do not identify that we are a domestic violence hotline for safety and confidentiality. We ensure complete confidentiality of all matters discussed, unless there are reports of child abuse, elder abuse, suicidal or homicidal ideation. As with all other adults in New Jersey, we are mandated reporters, meaning that we are required by law to report these cases. Hotline staff will inform callers of these confidentiality limitations at the beginning of the call for complete transparency. We also will inform the caller if a call needs to be made.
If you text the hotline, you will get an automated response from Safe + Sound Somerset, explaining that we are mandated reporters, and it asks to verify if it’s safe to text you. Once you reply "yes," we will be able to communicate with you further.
Staff will then ask a little bit about what’s going on to make sure they are assisting you in the best way possible. Your immediate safety is always our first concern, so we assess this first. Based on the information provided we refer callers to resources available from Safe+Sound Somerset or those available within Somerset County or New Jersey depending on the unique circumstances.
Staff also provides supportive listening to those who need to talk through their experiences or find a starting point for moving forward. Our hotline is the portal to connecting domestic abuse and dating abuse victims and survivors to services they need in order to thrive without abuse. If you are under 18 and seeking services such as individual counseling or legal advocacy, you would need parental permission to go forward from there. Call or text the Safe+Sound Somerset Hotline at 866-685-1122 for more information and support.
If you’re listening outside of Somerset County, NJ, you can call us and we will transfer you to your local domestic violence organization. Just know that there is always help and hope available.
Visit our website at www.safe-sound.org.
Thank you for listening today. Join us next time here on Ask Ava.