Talk to Us

It can be hard to talk about what is happening to you if you are being abused, but the Women’s Aid National Freephone Helpline is here to help, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Often when women call us for the first time they don’t speak as they may be afraid or ashamed.

We understand if you cannot speak today, we are still there to listen and provide support when you are ready.

  • 1800 341 900

  • National Freephone Helpline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

What is this service?

The Women’s Aid 24 hour National Freephone Helpline is a free, non-judgmental and confidential service that offers support to women subjected to domestic abuse including coercive control.  This includes emotional, physical, sexual or economic abuse by a current or former partner.

How to contact this service

Call us on 1800 341 900. We are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Who can use this service?

  • Anyone over 18 years of age who feels they have experienced domestic abuse
  • Anyone who is worried someone they know might be experiencing domestic abuse
  • Professionals supporting someone who is being abused

Who will answer my call?

The National Freephone Helpline is staffed by professional and fully-trained staff and volunteers. All staff and volunteers are women.

What support can I get on the 24hr National Freephone Helpline?

Our Support Workers are there to listen to you, to believe you and to support you.  This includes:

  • Providing a non-judgmental space for you to talk about what is happening to you
  • Talking through practical options with you, for example, providing information on legal options, safe accommodation (i.e. refuge), money, housing, children, the legal system and social welfare
  • Referring you to the Women’s Aid Face-to-Face Services in the Greater Dublin Area or other local independent domestic violence services and refuges across Ireland
  • Referring you to legal aid and other agencies depending on what your situation is and what your needs are

How often can I call the Helpline?

You can call the Helpline as many times as you need to.

Why can’t I get through on the Helpline?

If you ring and cannot reach us, it is because our Support Workers are busy on calls with other women. If you don’t get a response straight away, you can leave a voice message with your name and contact number and a Support Worker will call you back as soon as possible.

Please leave your first name and contact number, only if it is safe for us to call you back. When we call you back it will be from a private number.

Voicemail is available Monday to Friday 9am-5pm.

Will the Helpline number show up on my phone bill?

We cannot guarantee that the number will not appear on your phone bill, you will need to contact the service provider to check this. The number may also appear in the call log of your mobile phone. Learn about phone safety here.

I’m being charged for the call. What do I do?

If you are being charged when calling the Helpline from a mobile phone, notify the Support Worker who answers your call, and they will call you back if this is safe for you. Afterwards call your mobile service provider to request that these charges are taken off, and that you are no longer charged for 1800 numbers.

At times, new phones come with an automatic block on 1800 numbers. If you think you are blocked, call your mobile phone provider and ask to have the block removed, which they should be able to do straight away.

The Women’s Aid National Freephone Helpline is accredited to The Helplines Partnership Quality Standard which defines and accredits best practice in helpline work.