Resources
Finding Claire Fletcher is about a teenage girl who is abducted from the street and held captive for ten years. Since I wrote this book, finishing it in 2006, there have been many cases of abducted children being recovered and reunited with their families. You might recognize some of their names: Shawn Hornbeck, Elizabeth Smart, Jaycee Lee Dugard. Their cases bring every parent’s worse nightmare front and center. Although in their cases they were physically overcome and forcibly taken from their loved ones by very depraved individuals, they each have sage advice to offer the rest of us on how to protect our children. I’d like to draw your attention to their foundations as well as some other resources that readers might find helpful.
The Elizabeth Smart Foundation
The Jaycee Lee Dugard Foundation
Jacob Wetterling Resource Center
Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN)
It Happened to Alexa Foundation
If you’re a victim of sexual assault or abuse, please reach out. There is help. There are people out there who care.
If you’re a parent, please visit some of the resources above and learn how to talk to your children about strangers, good secret/bad secret, good touch/bad touch and how to protect themselves from predators.
Close Her Eyes touches on domestic violence. If you feel unsafe in your home, I encourage you to reach out and get help.
UNITED STATES
A good place to start is the National Domestic Violence Hotline (United States). The website is www.thehotline.org but remember that your internet history is never truly erased, so to be on the safe side, consider calling 800-799-SAFE (7233).
CANADA
Here is a link to some resources for domestic violence survivors in Canada.
Again, please remember that your internet search history is never truly erased. Please consider using the following phone numbers to call for help. They’re broken down below by province:
In Alberta: Family Violence Info Line (toll free) 780-310-1818
In British Columbia: VictimLink BC Help Line (available 24/7) 1-800-563-0808; TTY: 604-875-0885 and Text: 1-800-563-0808; Email: VictimLinkBC@bc211.ca
In Ontario: Assaulted Women’s Helpline (available 24/7) 1-866-863-0511; TTY: 1-866-863-7868; Rogers, Fido, Bell & Telus #SAFE (#7233)
Fem’aide (for Francophone women) toll-free, province-wide: 1-877-336-2433; TTY: 1-866-860-7082
Anishnaabe Kwewag Gamig Northern Ontario First Nations Crisis Line: 1-800-388-5171
In Manitoba: Province-wide Family Violence Helpline (toll-free, available 24/7) 1-877-977-0007; TTY 1-888-987-2829
In Newfoundland & Labrador: Domestic Violence Helpline (available 24/7) 1-888-709-7090
In Nova Scotia: Provincial Domestic Violence Line (available 24/7) 1-855-225-0220
In the Northwest Territories: YWCA, toll-free 1-866-223-7775; or 867-873-8257 in Yellowknife
In Nunavut: Baffin Regional Agvvik Society 24/7 Crisis Line in English and Inuktitut 867-979-4500
In Prince Edward Island: PEI Family Violence Prevention Services 1-800-240-9894
In Quebec: SOS Violence conjugale (province-wide toll-free crisis line available 24/7; TTY compatible) 1-800-363-9010
In Saskatchewan: 24 Hour Crisis & Abuse Line: 1-800-214-7083
Abused Women’s Crisis Line: 1-888-338-0880
North East Crisis Line: 1-800-611-6349 or 1-800-668-6868
In Yukon: VictimLink BC: 1-800-563-0808; TTY: 604-875-0885; Text: 604-836-6381; email: VictimLinkBC@bc211.ca
UNITED KINGDOM
NCDV: https://www.ncdv.org.uk/contact/
Phone: 0800 970 2070
Text NCDV to 60777 and they’ll call you back
Email: office@ncdv.org.uk
WOMEN’S AID: https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/
You can chat with them online via their website.
You can also email them at helpline@womensaid.org.uk
REFUGE: https://refuge.org.uk/
and: https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/
Free, 24/7 to call: 0808 2000 247
For MEN:
RESPECT: https://mensadviceline.org.uk/
Free to call: 0808 8010327
MANKIND: https://www.mankind.org.uk/
Call: 01823 334244
For Children:
NSPCC: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/types-of-abuse/domestic-abuse/
NSPCC Helpline available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 0808 800 5000 or email: help@NSPCC.org.uk
Child Line for children under 18, call: 0800 1111
AUSTRALIA
Here is a link to resources in Australia: Home | 1800RESPECT
Call 800-737 732
