Trust that the help we seek will be supportive, not harmful
Receive crisis support free of judgment, irrespective of substance use, participation in sex trade, mental health condition, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, age, citizenship, housing status, religion, nationality, or caste
Reach out for support in a crisis without being criminalized, detained, or deported
Have all trauma responses, including suicidality, understood as normal responses to current or past traumatic experiences, and be able to speak about suicidality without fear of more trauma
Get crisis support without police violence, harassment, or threats
Share our identities and experiences without being outed to unsupportive caregivers, workplaces, or abusers
Be made aware of short- and long-term options for support that we can accept or refuse
Transparency
Callers have the right to…
Know what services we’re receiving when we call
Clear and upfront information about which situations hotlines use police and emergency services – to be included on websites, apps, chatbots, and greeting/hold recordings, including geotracking
Understand if and when our calls are being recorded, how they’ll be used, and who they’ll be shared with
Be informed by operators at the beginning of calls about which situations or circumstances hotline policies dictate the use of law enforcement or emergency responders
Be informed if police or emergency services are being dispatched to our location
Agency
Callers have the right to…
Determine which supports and care we utilize and which we refuse, as the experts in our own lives.
Access support and services without police or other emergency responders entering our homes, work, school, or any other location without our knowledge and consent. We did not call 911.
Make decisions about what’s best for our financial and mental wellbeing, including not being charged ambulance or hospital bills for services we did not seek or consent to, or losing work, housing, etc.
Protect ourselves from further trauma, harm, and instability.
Sign the Crisis Callers’ Bill of Rights
Let’s work together to make #SafeHotlines for all Crisis Callers
