SHIELD PROJECT
You Never Have To Walk Alone
Welcome to The Shield Project.
In the shadows of the family-court system, too many survivors of abuse stand alone.
We bring light, connection, and hope — uniting warriors who confront injustice with healers who help survivors rebuild their lives through advocacy, education, and systemic reform.
From our California roots, The Shield Project is growing into a national movement for safety, dignity, and change — so no one has to walk this path in silence again.
Our Work: Support and Systemic Change for Survivors
Our Work
Support and Systemic Change for Survivors
Warriors and Healers — both are needed in this fight.
At The Shield Project, our work combines protection and renewal: warriors who confront injustice, and healers who help survivors recover hope and stability through advocacy, education, and coordinated reform.
We are building a national movement that connects individuals and organizations defending women and children in the family-court system transforming isolated efforts into a unified force for safety, justice, and reform.
Warriors
We expose systemic failures in the family-court process, advocate for institutional accountability, and amplify survivor voices that have too often been silenced.
Healers
We foster recovery through education, survivor-led outreach, and collaboration with trauma-informed professionals and nonprofits nationwide.
Our Mission in Motion
From our California roots, Shield is expanding into a network that unites local initiatives across the United States under a shared banner — to protect, educate, and empower survivors while demanding justice from the systems that failed them.
Get Involved
Join the movement — stand with us as we protect, unite, and seek justice for survivors.
© 2025 The Shield Project | A California 501(c)(3) Nonprofit | EIN #39-2332132 | info@shieldsproject.org
Jill Montes and Family — The Heart of Shield
About Our Resource Network
The Shield Project is building the world’s most comprehensive, survivor-centered database of family-court-linked abuse and domestic-violence resources.
Our vision is to make help accessible by ZIP code—connecting survivors, advocates, and researchers to verified local and national services in real time.
Beginning with national hotlines and foundational programs, we are expanding city by city to create a living map of protection, education, and hope.
Our goal is not only to help survivors find safety but to ensure that advocates, policymakers, and researchers have the data they need to study, understand, and reform a system that has too often operated in the dark.
When accurate information becomes visible, awareness follows—and so does change.
To paraphrase the classic line from Field of Dreams: if we build it, they will come.
This resource index was inspired by, and developed with gratitude to, the HWLFF Foundation, founded by Dr. Ramona Probasco.
We also thank Shield Project founder Jill Montes, co-author of the HWLFF survivor handbook and director of HWLFF, for her year-long research and ongoing dedication to supporting survivors and families nationwide.
Emergency Hotlines & National Resources
National Domestic Violence Hotline — 800-799-SAFE (7233) or 800-787-3224 (TTY); www.thehotline.org
Resource Center on Domestic Violence, Child Protection & Custody — 800-527-3223; www.rcdvcpc.org
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence — 303-839-8459; www.ncadv.org
National Center for Victims of Crime — 202-467-8700; www.ncvc.org
National Organization for Victim Assistance — 800-TRY-NOVA; www.trynova.org
VAWnet – National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women — www.vawnet.org
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence — 800-537-2238; www.nrcdv.org
National Sexual Violence Resource Center — 877-739-3895; www.nsvrc.org
State & Local Support
Domestic Shelters Directory — www.domesticshelters.org
Counseling & Mental-Health Support
Finding the Right Counselor — National Domestic Violence Hotline
Psychology Today Domestic-Violence Therapists — Find a Therapist
BetterHelp Online Counseling — www.betterhelp.com
Your Break Free Life (Pastors’ Wives Support) — www.yourbreakfreelife.com
Focus on the Family Counselor Referral — 1-800-232-6459; Find a Counselor
American Association of Christian Counselors — www.aacc.net
Legal Aid & Rights Information
LawHelp — www.lawhelp.org
Women’s Law — www.womenslaw.org
VINE (Victim Information & Notification Everyday) — www.vinelink.com
Additional & Specialized Support
Domestic Violence Awareness Handbook — USDA Guide
Family Renewal Shelter — www.domesticviolencehelp.org | 1-253-475-9010 (24-hour) or 1-888-550-3915 (toll-free)
Banfield Foundation (Shelters Accepting Pets) — www.banfieldfoundation.org
Document the Abuse (Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit) — www.documenttheabuse.com
Lighthouse Network — www.lighthousenetwork.org | 1-877-562-2565
Drug Rehab Guide — Domestic Abuse & Addiction
Give Her Wings — www.giveherwings.com
Digital Safety & Mobile Apps
Aspire News App — Learn More
Safe Browsing Guides: Chrome | Safari | Firefox
Safe Connectivity Tips — reviews.com/blog/safe-connectivity-tips
Sexual-Violence & Assault Resources
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) — 800-656-HOPE (4673); www.rainn.org
Family & Parenting Resources
Child Welfare Information Gateway — 800-394-3366; www.childwelfare.gov
Childhelp USA Hotline — 800-4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453); www.childhelp.org
Talking Parents — www.talkingparents.com
Our Family Wizard — www.ourfamilywizard.com
Inclusive & Demographic-Specific Support
For Men
National Domestic Violence Hotline — www.thehotline.org
HelpGuide: Help for Abused Men — www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/help-for-abused-men.htm
Male Survivor — www.malesurvivor.org
Men Stopping Violence — www.menstoppingviolence.org
MenEngage Global Alliance — www.menengage.org
For LGBTQ+ Individuals
The Network La Red — 800-832-1901; www.tnlr.org
For Immigrant Women
The Hotline (Immigrant Section) — Abuse and Immigrants
U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Victim Protections — www.dhs.gov/immigration-options-victims-crimes
For Teens
Teen Dating Violence Guide — www.acadv.org/warning-signs/dating-violence
Help for Abusive Partners
The Hotline – For Abusive Partners — thehotline.org/help/for-abusive-partners
Duluth Model — www.theduluthmodel.org
Changing Men, Changing Lives — www.changingmenchanginglives.org
RAVEN (St. Louis) — www.ravenstl.org
Emerge (Boston) — www.emergedv.com
Manalive (California) — www.mavcenter.org
Menergy (Philadelphia) — www.menergy.org
We will continue to expand this list as additional trusted partners and survivor-focused organizations are identified.
Join the Movement: Stay in Touch for Updates
Have questions, ideas, or simply want to get involved? Reach out today and discover how your voice and talents can accelerate meaningful change.
Stay Informed — The Shield Project in Action
Join The Shield Project community and be part of a growing national network of survivors, advocates, and allies.
By staying connected, you’ll receive updates on our programs, volunteer opportunities, and ways to support reform in the family-court system.
Whether you’re ready to take action or simply want to learn more, your voice and presence matter.
Together, we protect, educate, and empower — building a safer, more informed future for every family.
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