NextStep 24/7 Free, Confidential Helpline / 1-800-315-5579

NextStep can help you work with the civil or criminal legal system in many different ways.

Your local law enforcement agencies and courts should support you as well. If you want support or help interacting with Law Enforcement and/or the courts, please call NextStep’s 24/7 Helpline 1-800-315-5579.

NextStep has a Law Enforcement Liaison who may be able to help facilitate stronger, more positive relationships with the departments you’re dealing with.

NextStep also has a legal team who may be able to help support you with civil legal matters or navigating the courts with a court-accompaniment advocate by your side.

Any advocate on the helpline can share information about the criminal legal process and help connect you with your assigned Victim Witness Advocate (VWA) at your local District Attorney’s (DA) office. The VWA is your connection to the DA during your case – their job is to facilitate communication between you and the DA, including making sure your voice is heard by those in charge of the case. They will give you notifications and updates about the case and the defendant, as well as coordinate between your needs and the DA’s requests during the course of the case.

Advocates at NextStep can work in tandem with your VWA to support you during this process if you choose.

Call our 24/7 helpline to access any of the above services, and many others: 1-800-315-5579.

Domestic Abuse is A Crime Punishable by Law – It Doesn’t Always Look The Way We Expect

Causing or attempting to cause fear or bodily harm to you or your minor children. Some examples may include:

  • Sexual assault, either by force or creating an environment where you feel you don’t have a choice

  • Choking/strangulation, including putting pressure on your neck, head, or chest area by any means

  • Throwing things at you

  • Breaking things at, on, or near you

  • Banging or throwing you or part of you against something

  • Shaking you

  • Hitting, biting, punching, pulling hair, or fighting in other physical ways

  • Stabbing, poking, or cutting with a sharp object

  • Causing bruising or broken bones

  • Attacking or attempting to attack a child or beloved animal in front of you


Threatening, harassing, or tormenting you or your minor children with the intent to cause fear or bodily harm. Some examples may include:

  • Threatening you with violence or frightening consequences verbally

  • Controlling or tormenting you emotionally

  • Destroying property as a punishment or display of rage and capacity to do harm

  • Threatening you with a weapon or showing you a weapon

  • Calling or showing up at work, school, or other sensitive places and causing you negative consequences or threatening to do so

  • Threatening a child or beloved pet


Coercing you or your minor children to do something you don’t want to do. Some examples may include:

  • Illegal activity, either by force or by creating an environment where you feel you don’t have a choice

  • Taking illegal substances, or stopping taking substances, medical or recreational, against your will

  • Becoming financially dependent or isolated, despite a desire and/or capacity to contribute financially and work towards independence

  • Taking on debt, property, or other accounts in your name, or selling property, getting rid of other assets you don’t want to

  • Having sex or doing sexual things, including using sexual language or taking photographs

  • Becoming pregnant, or forcing you to keep or terminate a pregnancy


Not allowing you or your minor children to do something you have the right to do. Some examples may include:

  • Use your phone or car

  • Access healthcare or see your healthcare provider alone

  • Access recovery resources

  • Access birth control or family planning healthcare

  • Become pregnant or deciding you don’t want to become pregnant

  • Control your own access to drugs, medical or recreational

  • See or speak to your children, family, or friends

  • Travel or leave the house for exercise, work, school, family connections, faith services, or socializing

  • Work, go to school, or pursue professional or personal development opportunities

  • Manage your own money, keep your own money separately, manage your own debt

  • Be legally, publicly named as part owner or partner in contracts governing property, co-run businesses, housing rental leases, car leases, and other shared assets

  • Sleep or meet your basic needs

  • Have privacy in your home, on your property, and out in public


Restricting your movements without your consent. Some examples may include:

  • Barring you from leaving the house or entering the house

  • Blocking a doorway or an exit, inside or outside

  • Keeping you in a room

  • Removing doorknobs, locks, or doors

  • Changing locks, adding padlocks

  • Putting up video or audio surveillance equipment in or around your home

  • Removing, sabotaging, or disabling elements of your vehicle

  • Taking your car keys or house keys

  • Taking or destroying your phone so you can’t call for a ride or help

  • Transporting you from one place to another for the purpose of undesired sexual acts (sex trafficking or human trafficking)


Following or stalking you or your minor children. Some examples may include:

  • At your home, school, business, or work

  • Showing up and demanding entry somewhere that is not their legal residence

  • Parking outside or driving by regularly to let you know you’re being watched

  • By surveilling you with video or audio equipment at your home, in your car, or in public

  • By placing tracking devices on your car

  • By installing software on your phone or in your car’s GPS

  • Via social media

  • Through friends and family

  • Messaging or calling you repeatedly after being asked not to

You have a right to feel safe

For information and advocacy, call NextStep’s free, confidential 24/7 Helpline 1-800-315-5579 *

  • Emotional support, safety planning, and crisis intervention

  • Shelter and/or safe housing navigation

  • Civil legal services

  • Court Advocate Accompaniment

  • Supported filing of protection orders

  • Information about the civil and criminal legal system

  • Connection to or coordination with your court-assigned Victim Witness Advocate (VWA)

  • Law Enforcement (LE) liaison

  • Child Protective Services (CPS) liaison

  • Violence Intervention Programs, separate programs for abusers and those using defensive violence

  • Outreach and Education

  • Referrals 

*Interpretation services are available for anyone who requires or prefers to speak in a language other than English.

Your local law enforcement officers may be able to support you. They can:

  • Accompany you so you can safely gather and remove your personal belongings, including children and pets, should you choose to temporarily or permanently leave the home.

  • Help you seek medical treatment for injuries caused by domestic violence, including calling an EMT/ambulance to the scene for immediate treatment

  • Coordinate transportation to the closest Emergency Room, shelter, or courthouse.

  • Help you advocate at the ER for the recommended medical tests needed after choking/strangulation

  • Provide information about Protection Orders – you can file them yourself at the courthouse or call 1-800-315-5579 for filing support.

  • Arrange for interpreter services as needed

  • Give you information about your rights and available resources for relief and support

Some of those supports may be:

– NextStep Domestic Violence Project’s 24/7 Helpline: 800-315-5579
– Maine Child Protective Services: 800-452-1999
– Your local District Attorney’s Office & Courts (numbers below)
– Financial compensation Resources, some of which are:

- Via Protection Order (under “restitution of assets” & “child support” sections)
- The Victim’s Compensation Fund & Criminal Restitution (administered by your local DA’s Office, ask your VWA about these)
- The Maine Human Trafficking Survivor Fund (207-626- 0034 or htfund@mecasa.org)

LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REFERENCE NUMBERS

 Washington County Reference Numbers

Baileyville Police / 427-6203
Calais Police / 454-2753
Eastport Police / 853-4353
Machias Police / 255-8558
Milbridge Police / 546-2422

Calais Courthouse / 454-2055
Calais District Attorney / 454-3159
Machias Courthouse / 255-3044
Machias District Attorney / 255-4425
Washington Co. Sheriff / 255-4422

Washington County Tribal Police
Indian Township / 796-5296
Pleasant Point / 853-2551

Washington County Victim Witness Advocates
Machias: Nicole Craig / 255-4425
Calais: Lisa Lord / 454-3159

Hancock County Reference Numbers

Bar Harbor Police / 288-3391
Bucksport Police / 469-7951
Ellsworth Police / 667-2133
Gouldsboro Police / 963-5589
Mount Desert Police / 276-5111
SW Harbor Police / 244-7911
Winter Harbor Police / 963-2235

Ellsworth Courthouse / 667-7141
Hancock Co. District Attorney / 667-4621
Hancock Co. Sheriff / 667-7575

Hancock County Victim Witness Advocates
Ellsworth: Lynn King & Karen Brown / 667-4621