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If you’re looking for sexual assault support in New York, you can start without sharing your name: call the New York State Hotline for Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence at 1-800-942-6906, or contact RAINN by phone, chat, or text. You can ask what information a service collects and what privacy limits apply before deciding what to disclose. If you face an immediate life-threatening emergency, New York’s Department of Health says to call 911.
Choose a way to reach support
| Option | How to contact | What it can help with |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Hotline for Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence | 1-800-942-6906 | The New York State Department of Health directs people seeking immediate assistance to this hotline. Ask the service about its information-gathering and privacy practices before sharing identifying details. |
| RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline | Call 800.656.HOPE (4673), use online chat, or text HOPE to 64673 | RAINN describes these services as free, confidential, and available 24/7 in English and Spanish. Support specialists can offer referrals to local sexual assault services and legal, medical, and longer-term mental health support. |
| Hospital rape crisis advocate | Ask hospital staff: “Can you contact a rape crisis advocate to be with me?” | New York’s SAFE Program says hospitals should tell patients about local rape crisis or victim assistance organizations and contact the appropriate organization if a patient wants an advocate. Local staffing and logistics can vary. |
For RAINN, you do not have to provide your name, location, or other identifying information to contact the hotline. RAINN says its support specialists provide confidential support, but privacy policies and reporting obligations are not identical across every provider or channel.
Ask about privacy before sharing details
“Confidential” can refer to more than one thing: a service’s own privacy practices, or a legal protection for certain communications. If you are unsure what applies, start with general questions and ask what information is collected, who can access it, and whether any reporting duties or exceptions apply before giving your name or location.
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New York’s legal protection for qualifying rape crisis counseling
New York CPLR 4510 protects certain communications with a qualifying rape crisis counselor and records made during those services. The law says: “A rape crisis counselor or domestic violence advocate shall not be required to disclose a communication made by his or her client to him or her, or advice given thereon, in the course of his or her services”. The statute also sets out exceptions, including client-authorized disclosure and communications revealing an intent to commit a crime or harmful act. The precise statutory text controls; this protection should not be assumed to cover every counselor, hospital worker, hotline, or online service.
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RAINN’s stated hotline practices
RAINN says callers can remain anonymous and do not need to provide identifying details. It also says that if someone shares their name and location and is under 18 or a vulnerable adult, RAINN may have a legal duty to report; it mentions possible reporting if it believes someone is considering suicide. Those are RAINN’s stated practices, not a universal rule for every New York support service.
If you want medical care or a forensic exam
You can seek medical attention without treating that choice as a decision to report to police. New York’s SAFE Program describes medical forensic services and says a victim Bill of Rights must be provided before the medical facility begins the physical examination. You can ask staff to contact a rape crisis or victim assistance advocate to be with you; state materials say advocates who complete the Department of Health’s training can, by law, provide confidential services to sexual assault patients.
New York’s Office of Victim Services says it directly reimburses medical providers for forensic rape exams when a survivor does not have private health insurance or chooses not to use it for the exam. The state describes this mechanism as intended to protect survivor privacy. Billing rules changed for claims received on or after February 3, 2026, so check the current OVS instructions for billing details.
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RAINN warns that a browser’s history may show a visit to a hotline page and that an internet provider may retain records of sites visited. Private browsing or deleting local history may address what is stored in the browser, but neither guarantees that the visit is hidden from an internet provider or from someone monitoring a device or account. If digital monitoring is a concern, consider which device and account you use to reach support and ask a hotline about safer contact options.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Decide what kind of support you need first
You do not have to settle every question before contacting someone. It may help to think about whether you want anonymous conversation, an in-person advocate, medical care, a forensic exam, or referrals. You can begin with one question—such as whether a service is a qualifying New York rape crisis program, what languages and contact channels it offers, or what information it needs—and choose your next step from there. Local availability can vary, so confirm current options with the hotline or service.
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