How many domestic violence resources are in Minnesota?

Women's Corner tracks 19 domestic violence resources for women in Minnesota.

Are domestic violence resources in Minnesota free?

19 of the 19 listed domestic violence resources in Minnesota are explicitly free or low-cost.

Which cities in Minnesota have domestic violence resources?

Listings span cities including St. Paul, Bloomington, Minneapolis, Anoka County, Duluth, Alexandria.

What are some examples of domestic violence resources in Minnesota?

Featured entries include Violence Free Minnesota, Day One Crisis Hotline — Minnesota, Cornerstone Advocacy Service — Bloomington, Tubman — Twin Cities, Alexandra House — Anoka County.

Do these listings include phone numbers?

9 of 19 Minnesota domestic violence listings include phone numbers.

How do I get a restraining order?

Go to your county's family or civil courthouse and ask the clerk for a 'protective order' or 'order of protection' petition — no attorney or filing fee required. Temporary ex parte orders can be issued the same day. A full hearing follows within 10–21 days. Court advocates and DV agencies help fill out forms; bring any evidence (texts, photos, police reports).

Where can I go right now if I'm not safe?

Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (text START to 88788) — they connect you to your nearest shelter, arrange emergency transport, and help with a safety plan. Shelters are confidential, free, and 24/7. If you're in immediate danger, call 911 and ask for a DV advocate at the scene.

Will the shelter take my kids?

Yes. Domestic violence shelters accept women with children — most accommodate boys up to age 17 (a few have age limits around 12–13 for older boys, and will arrange alternate placement nearby). Pets are increasingly welcome through programs like RedRover and Sheltering Animals & Families Together. Bring kids' birth certificates, school records, and any medications if you can.

Is the hotline really free and confidential?

Yes — the National DV Hotline and all state DV hotlines are free, confidential, anonymous, available 24/7, and offered in 200+ languages. Advocates don't report to police, immigration, or CPS unless you request it (mandatory reporting applies only to active child abuse). You can call to plan, vent, or just ask questions before deciding anything.

Best Domestic Violence in Minnesota — 19 resources

About Domestic Violence for Women

Domestic violence services for women are anchored by the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-SAFE), the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and a state coalition in every state coordinated through the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV). VAWA funds shelters, transitional housing, legal services, and immigration relief (U-visa, T-visa, VAWA self-petition). Survivors can obtain civil protective orders, address-confidentiality through state ACP programs, and victim advocates through local prosecutor offices. The National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-HOPE) and StrongHearts Native Helpline serve specific survivor populations. This directory includes hotlines, shelters, state DV coalitions, and protective order resources.

Domestic Violence in Minnesota

Minnesota district courts hear family matters across its 87 counties. The Child Support Enforcement Division operates under DHS. Minneapolis-Saint Paul anchors the state; Rochester, Duluth, and Bloomington follow. Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, and Violence Free Minnesota (the statewide DV coalition) serve women.

19 Resources

1. Violence Free Minnesota — Free

Violence Free Minnesota at 60 E Plato Blvd in St. Paul is the statewide coalition of 70+ DV programs, coordinating advocacy, training, and policy work and maintaining the most accurate list of MN shelters with current open beds. Call 651-646-6177 weekdays or email info@vfrm.org to be referred to the closest program with capacity.

651-646-6177 · 60 E Plato Blvd Suite 130, St. Paul, MN 55107 · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

2. Day One Crisis Hotline — Minnesota — Free

Day One at 866-223-1111 is the single statewide 24/7 hotline for Minnesota DV and sexual-assault survivors, operated by Cornerstone. Advocates can check live shelter availability across all 70+ MN programs and arrange a warm hand-off rather than making a woman call multiple shelters herself. Free, confidential, and available in many languages via interpreter.

866-223-1111 · Statewide Service · 24/7

3. Cornerstone Advocacy Service — Bloomington — Free

Cornerstone serves the south metro from a confidential Bloomington location with emergency shelter, legal advocacy, transitional housing, and the statewide Day One hotline. Mothers fleeing abuse in Hennepin or northern Scott counties can call the 24/7 line at 952-884-0330 for immediate safety planning and shelter screening.

952-884-0330 · Bloomington, MN (confidential location) · 24/7 Hotline

4. Tubman — Twin Cities — Free

Tubman at 4432 Chicago Ave S in Minneapolis is one of MN's largest DV agencies, offering shelter, legal representation, mental-health counseling, chemical-health services, and youth programming under one roof. Their Harriet Tubman Center model is nationally recognized. Call 612-825-0000 anytime for 24/7 crisis support and intake.

612-825-0000 · 4432 Chicago Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407 · 24/7 Hotline · Visit Website

5. Alexandra House — Anoka County — Free

Alexandra House serves Anoka County from a confidential shelter location with crisis response, transitional housing, legal advocacy, and children's programming. Mothers in Coon Rapids, Blaine, Andover, and surrounding north-metro suburbs can call the 24/7 line at 763-780-2330 for safety planning and shelter screening.

763-780-2330 · Anoka County, MN (confidential location) · 24/7 Hotline · Visit Website

6. Women's Advocates — St. Paul — Free

Women's Advocates is one of the first DV shelters in the country, founded in St. Paul in 1972, and continues to serve women and children from a confidential location. Services include emergency shelter, legal advocacy, and a 24/7 crisis line at 651-227-8284 with bilingual advocates available.

651-227-8284 · St. Paul, MN (confidential location) · 24/7 Hotline · Visit Website

7. Safe Haven Shelter — Duluth — Free

Safe Haven serves Duluth and northeastern Minnesota with emergency shelter, transitional housing, advocacy, and the Resource Center for safety planning, OFP help, and children's programs. Call the 24/7 crisis line at 218-728-6481 — staff can check shelter availability and coordinate transport from outlying counties.

218-728-6481 · Duluth, MN (confidential location) · 24/7 Hotline · Visit Website

8. Someplace Safe — Alexandria — Free

Someplace Safe covers nine west-central Minnesota counties from its Alexandria base, with shelters, mobile advocacy, and outreach offices in Morris, Fergus Falls, Wadena, Glenwood, and Elbow Lake. Call the 24/7 crisis line at 320-762-0981 — vital coverage in a region where the next shelter could be 60+ miles away.

320-762-0981 · Alexandria, MN (confidential location) · 24/7 Hotline · Visit Website

9. Southwest Crisis Center — Worthington — Free

Southwest Crisis Center serves Nobles, Murray, Jackson, Pipestone, and Rock counties from Worthington with shelter, sexual-assault advocacy, and crisis response for the immigrant-dense communities of southwestern MN. Call the 24/7 line at 507-376-4311; Spanish and Karen interpreters are available on call.

507-376-4311 · Worthington, MN (confidential location) · 24/7 Hotline · Visit Website

10. National Domestic Violence Hotline — Free

1-800-799-SAFE (7233) — 24/7 confidential help from advocates who can connect Minnesota callers to the right local program. Text START to 88788 or chat at thehotline.org if a call is not safe. Operators have access to MN shelter directories and can coordinate with Day One when needed.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Loveisrespect — Free

1-866-331-9474 — 24/7 dating-abuse support for young women, with text (LOVEIS to 22522) and chat options. Especially relevant for Minnesota high school and college-age women experiencing controlling relationships, given U of M, MSU Mankato, and other large MN campus populations.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. StrongHearts Native Helpline — Free

1-844-7NATIVE is a culturally specific DV and dating-abuse helpline for Native American women, with deep relevance for Minnesota's 11 federally recognized tribes, including White Earth, Red Lake, Leech Lake, and the four Dakota communities. Advocates understand tribal court, ICWA, and jurisdiction issues.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

13. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence — Free

NCADV is the federation of state DV coalitions, including Violence Free Minnesota. Their public-facing site explains the MN Order for Protection process under Chapter 518B, safety planning, and how federal VAWA grants flow to MN programs.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

14. Futures Without Violence — Free

Futures Without Violence develops the trauma-informed prevention curricula used in many Minnesota schools, clinics, and DV programs. Their public site includes free downloadable resources MN providers and survivors can use for safety planning and child-focused recovery work.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

15. DomesticShelters.org — Free

Searchable national database listing every DV shelter and program, including 70+ Minnesota programs with current contact info, services offered, and language access. Useful as a backup when 866-223-1111 lines are busy or a woman is calling from another state for a friend in MN.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

16. Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence — Free

API-GBV provides culturally specific resources for AAPI women, relevant to Minnesota's large Hmong, Karen, Vietnamese, Korean, and South Asian communities concentrated in the Twin Cities, Worthington, and St. Cloud. Resources include language-specific safety guides and provider directories.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

17. Casa de Esperanza — Free

Casa de Esperanza is headquartered in St. Paul and serves the broader Latina community across Minnesota with bilingual advocacy, shelter referrals, and the National Latin@ Network research institute. A nationally significant Latina-led DV organization based right in the Twin Cities.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

18. Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) — Free

OVW is the US Department of Justice office that funds the Violence Against Women Act, channeling grants to Minnesota DHS, Violence Free Minnesota, and tribal coalitions. Their site explains current grant priorities and survivor protections under federal law.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

19. RAINN — Sexual Assault Hotline — Free

1-800-656-HOPE — RAINN routes Minnesota callers to local sexual-assault programs including the Sexual Violence Center in Minneapolis, SOS at Family Tree Clinic, and rural MN programs. 24/7 confidential support by phone, chat, and the mobile-friendly online hotline.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many domestic violence resources are in Minnesota?: Women's Corner tracks 19 domestic violence resources for women in Minnesota.
Are domestic violence resources in Minnesota free?: 19 of the 19 listed domestic violence resources in Minnesota are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Minnesota have domestic violence resources?: Listings span cities including St. Paul, Bloomington, Minneapolis, Anoka County, Duluth, Alexandria.
What are some examples of domestic violence resources in Minnesota?: Featured entries include Violence Free Minnesota, Day One Crisis Hotline — Minnesota, Cornerstone Advocacy Service — Bloomington, Tubman — Twin Cities, Alexandra House — Anoka County.
Do these listings include phone numbers?: 9 of 19 Minnesota domestic violence listings include phone numbers.
How do I get a restraining order?: Go to your county's family or civil courthouse and ask the clerk for a 'protective order' or 'order of protection' petition — no attorney or filing fee required. Temporary ex parte orders can be issued the same day. A full hearing follows within 10–21 days. Court advocates and DV agencies help fill out forms; bring any evidence (texts, photos, police reports).
Where can I go right now if I'm not safe?: Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (text START to 88788) — they connect you to your nearest shelter, arrange emergency transport, and help with a safety plan. Shelters are confidential, free, and 24/7. If you're in immediate danger, call 911 and ask for a DV advocate at the scene.
Will the shelter take my kids?: Yes. Domestic violence shelters accept women with children — most accommodate boys up to age 17 (a few have age limits around 12–13 for older boys, and will arrange alternate placement nearby). Pets are increasingly welcome through programs like RedRover and Sheltering Animals & Families Together. Bring kids' birth certificates, school records, and any medications if you can.
Is the hotline really free and confidential?: Yes — the National DV Hotline and all state DV hotlines are free, confidential, anonymous, available 24/7, and offered in 200+ languages. Advocates don't report to police, immigration, or CPS unless you request it (mandatory reporting applies only to active child abuse). You can call to plan, vent, or just ask questions before deciding anything.