Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline received record number of calls in 2025, leaving shelters strained

The Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline received a record-breaking number of calls for help from domestic violence victims in 2025, leaving the system struggling to keep up, according to a report from the organization that runs the hotline.

Calls to the hotline in 2025 reached the highest on record for the fifth year in a row, but as more people reach out, there are fewer places for them to go.

Sylvia Stech texted the hotline in a moment of fear and uncertainty.

"If I don't do something about this, is this person just going to keep doing this?" she said. "I had an ex-boyfriend at that time who was stalking me after the relationship had already ended."

The hotline helped her to get an emergency order of protection. Now, she's on the other side, helping others in crisis, working for the hotline.

"I know what it feels like to be in a situation where you're being abused, where you love the person, but you don't want to be hurt," she said.

New data from The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence, which runs the hotline, shows more people than ever are reaching out for help.

For many victims, making that call can be a hard first step.

"It's the step that is going to potentially get you connected to some really lifesaving and life-affirming resources," Stech said.

Nearly 70,000 calls for help were made last year to the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline – a 181 percent increase since 2019.

Nearly one-third of those calls were from people looking for shelter, and that's where advocates say support for survivors is falling short.

"When survivors are fleeing violence, and they need to leave immediately, we often don't have anywhere safe to send them," said Amanda Pyron, executive director of The Network.

There were 157 days last year when no shelter beds were available in Illinois — worse than the year before.

"With the affordability crisis we're seeing across Illinois, we know it's actually just going to get worse," Pyron said.

Advocates said a major driver is the cost of rent and cuts to public benefits.

"They're staying in abusive relationships longer, because they can't afford to leave," Pyron said.

Advocates said, if domestic violence survivors they have nowhere to go, they're faced with impossible choices:

"A lot of our survivors are choosing between homelessness and safety," Pron said.

Advocates attributed to the increase in calls in part to greater awareness of the hotline.

To meet the growing housing need, providers are expanding programs like emergency hotel stays and transportation to safe spaces, but they say demand is still outpacing resources.

Cook County funding for their hotel stay program dries up in September.