24/7 Hotlines

Sexual Violence & Domestic Violence Hotline
866-295-7378

Human Trafficking Hotline and Cumberland CAC Hotline
800-225-0196

Services Empowering Rights of Victims (SERV) offers services for children, adults, and families who have experienced or witnessed domestic violence, including case management, advocacy, counseling, safe housing, safety planning, and police and court accompaniments,

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and needs to talk, our hotline is a free, 24-hour phone service that will pair you with a SERV advocate. You can also speak with us online by leaving a message in the chat feature (look for the box in the bottom right corner of this page).

Domestic violence services are available in Cumberland and Gloucester Counties.
 
 
24-Hour Hotline

Our compassionate team is available to support victims and survivors of domestic violence with counseling, referrals, and information through our 24-hour hotline. All calls are free and confidential.  

To reach our team of certified advocates, call 1-866-295-SERV (7378).

Crisis Intervention

SERV provides immediate counsel to those going through a time of crisis related to domestic violence. If you are in crisis, please call one of our hotlines and a SERV advocate can assist you. Advocates are also available to be dispatched to local police departments and hospitals to personally accompany those undergoing medical examinations and law enforcement interviews.

Safe House

SERV offers 24-hour emergency safe housing in Gloucester and Cumberland Counties for adult survivors of domestic violence, their children, and their pets.

The safe house offers a caring environment for residents to explore their options without fear of victimization or concern for basic needs such as food, medical services, clothing, and shelter. Children’s counseling groups, nutrition education, and other daily activities are available in the safe house to help in the healing process. Referrals to outside tutors and parenting groups are also available. If you are in need of safe housing, please call one of our hotlines.

LGBTQIA+ affirming homes.

Advocacy

Our trained advocates provide emotional support, maintain confidentiality, offer safety planning, and inform the survivor of all the processes, options, and available resources. 

Our Domestic Violence Response Team advocates can be contacted through the SERV hotlines and will accompany victims of domestic violence to hospitals, police stations, and court proceedings. Additionally, advocates help the victim access services related to domestic violence recovery.

Legal Advocacy

Navigating through the legal system can be an intimidating experience. Court advocates assist domestic violence survivors in obtaining Restraining Orders (Orders of Protection) and in accessing all available legal remedies. Advocates provide information about options, offer support, and accompany survivors through court proceedings. 

We provide: 

  • Accompaniment to court 
  • Information about domestic violence law 
  • Support throughout legal proceedings 
  • Advocacy with law enforcement, court personnel, and legal services 
  • Information about legal clinics and free consultations conducted by volunteer attorneys 

Although court advocates cannot provide legal advice or representation for clients in civil and criminal cases, advocates can connect clients with legal services. SERV works with South Jersey Legal Services to provide free legal advice and representation to victims of domestic violence.

Counseling

SERV offers counseling services to help survivors process trauma, increase healthy coping strategies, and create support systems. 

Counseling services are available for victims and survivors of domestic violence and non-offending significant others. 

Services are offered to all ages and are available in both English and Spanish. 

Individual counseling services are available Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Evening and Saturday appointments may be scheduled upon request.

Our clients encompass all ages, socio-economic levels, ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations, and come from every economic background.

Educational Groups

SERV offers ongoing educational groups to survivors and can help connect survivors with other support groups within the community. 

Weekly group counseling is available for adult victims of domestic violence and their children.   

Domestic Violence Support Group Topics

  • Red Flags
  • Healthy Relationships
  • Power & Control
  • Effects of Trauma
  • Safety Planning
  • Financial Empowerment
  • Rights, Options, & Resources
  • Healthy Coping
Domestic Violence Liaison

The Domestic Violence Liaison provides consultation with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) division of Child Protection and Permanency (CP&P) to support and advocate for non-offending parents and their children in situations of domestic violence.

The Center For Family Services SERV program was chosen as 1 of 4 agencies to pilot an innovative collaboration with CP&P. This program has since expanded statewide and addresses the complications with families when domestic violence and child abuse co-exist.

SERV continues to offer this vital program – a key component to reaching our goal of addressing the needs of children affected by domestic violence. The DV Liaison increases safety, stability, and wellbeing and improves the outcomes for children and their non-offending parents in domestic violence situations. The DV Liaison also strengthens DCF/CP&P capacity to provide effective assessment and intervention for families in domestic violence situations.

The co-occurrence of domestic violence when children are present is a murky area for authorities. Often, the non-offending parent is held responsible for the violence of a partner. Children are removed from the home and everyone suffers. Research indicates that children are best served when they are able to remain with their parent and when the system assists in the safety of both.

With the high correlation of domestic violence and child abuse, it is imperative that domestic violence professionals work collaboratively with case workers in the children’s services arena to assist both the adult and child victims of abuse. This partnership has placed a SERV Domestic Violence Liaison on-site at Cumberland and Gloucester Counties CP&P offices to work on cases involving domestic violence and child abuse.

Peaceful Tomorrows

In Cumberland and Gloucester County, Center For Family Services offers the Peaceful Tomorrows program. Throughout a period of 12-15 individual and joint parent-child sessions, Peaceful Tomorrows staff provide a safe and supportive environment to express emotions and explore nonviolent ways of managing anger. Counselors employ proven theraputic methods to help participants feel empowered to make choices, improve their own confidence and self-esteem, and heal from the trauma of domestic violence. 

Educational Trainings

Our staff conducts free trainings for local service providers, law enforcement, community groups, and health care organizations to help people recognize the signs of domestic violence and work together in prevention efforts. To request a training for your organization or school, call 1-866-295-SERV (7378) or complete the Presentation Request Form.