Congressman Dan Goldman Calls for $30 Million for National Domestic Violence Hotline in FY2025 Budget

Hotline Provides Vital Services for Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence

Hotline Has Answered More Than 7 Million Calls from Victims of Domestic Violence Since 1996

Read the Letter Here

Washington, DC – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) joined 86 members of Congress in requesting $30 million in new funding for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. The hotline provides critical services to victims and survivors of domestic violence by increasing access to information about healthy relationships and dating abuse prevention. The request was made in conjunction with other appropriations requests in a letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies for inclusion in this year’s final budget.

“For over 27 years the National Domestic Violence Hotline (The Hotline) has provided vital services for victims and survivors of domestic violence and dating abuse, and their families, by answering the call to support and shift power back to those affected by relationship abuse 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” the Members wrote.

Since the hotline’s creation in 1996, it has answered more than 7 million calls, chats, and texts from people seeking support. It averages 2,500 contacts per day and has experienced a 20 percent increase in call volume over the last year. The hotline additionally offers translation services in more than 200 languages to better serve diverse populations.

This funding would further equip The National Domestic Violence Hotline with the resources necessary to manage increasing call volume and continue delivering essential services to all victims of abuse.

Read the appropriations request here or below:

The National Domestic Violence Hotline – $30 million funding request

For over 27 years the National Domestic Violence Hotline (The Hotline) has provided vital services for victims and survivors of domestic violence and dating abuse, and their families, by answering the call to support and shift power back to those affected by relationship abuse 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. On March 13, 2024, The Hotline reached an unfortunate milestone and answered its 7 millionth call.

The Hotline and Love is respect, its youth-oriented helpline that strives to be a safe, inclusive space for young people to access information about healthy relationships and dating abuse prevention, have answered 7 million calls, chats and texts from people seeking support and safety since 1996. The Hotline’s call volume has continuously increased, with close to 20% more contacts received in 2023 than the prior year. The Hotline expects that these large increases in contact volume will continue. In 2023, Hotline staff answered 461,278 contacts, more than any year before, and provided over 300,000 referrals to shelter and domestic violence service providers. Currently, contact volume averages 2,500 contacts per day whereas prior to the COVID-19 pandemic average contact volume was 800-1,200 contacts per day. The Hotline helps diverse populations with services provided by bilingual advocates who assist Spanish speaking contacts and provides additional translation services in more than 200 languages via a Language Line as well as accessible services for the hearing disabled through our work with Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services (ADWAS).

In addition, The Hotline partnered with the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center (NIWRC) to develop and launch the StrongHearts Native Helpline in March 2017 to assist Native people affected by relationship violence, who experience domestic violence at far greater rates than other populations in the United States. Gaps in Native-centered supportive services create unique barriers for Native victims seeking help. In FY 2022 StrongHearts received over 16,000 contacts and continues to experience an increase in contact volume. The Hotline continues to support StrongHearts as a subrecipient since their inception.

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