Family & domestic-abuse help — by country
Divorce, custody and maintenance, plus harassment and domestic-abuse protection: these are the family courts, women- and child-protection bodies, and free legal-aid services in each country.
If you are in immediate danger, use the country's emergency number first (shown on each country page). Several countries run a dedicated hotline — India's 181, Indonesia's SAPA 129 — that connects to shelters and referral, separate from the family court that decides custody or maintenance.
| Country | Official body | Call | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | National Domestic Violence Hotline24/7 confidential support and safety planning for domestic abuse; divorce, custody and protective orders are handled by your state family court.Legal basis: Violence Against Women Act | 1-800-799-7233 | www.thehotline.org |
| United Arab Emirates | Ministry of JusticeFederal courts and free legal-aid services, including family (personal-status) matters — divorce, custody and maintenance.Legal basis: Personal Status Law (Federal Decree-Law 41/2022) | — | moj.gov.ae/en/home.aspx |
| Saudi Arabia | Ministry of JusticePersonal-status (family) courts for divorce, custody and maintenance, plus notary services and a licensed-lawyer directory.Legal basis: Personal Status Law (Royal Decree M/73, 2022) | — | www.moj.gov.sa/en |
| Qatar | Ministry of JusticeCourts and Public Prosecution, including the family (personal-status) courts for divorce, custody and maintenance, plus real-estate registration.Legal basis: Family Law (Law 22/2006) | — | www.moj.gov.qa/en |
| Bahrain | Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs & EndowmentsCourts, including the Sharia and family courts for personal-status matters — marriage, divorce, custody and maintenance — plus notarisation.Legal basis: Family Law (Law 19/2017) | — | www.moj.gov.bh |
| Kuwait | Ministry of JusticeCourts, including the Labour Court (30-day decision rule) and the personal-status (family) courts for divorce, custody and maintenance.Legal basis: Personal Status Law (Law 51/1984) | — | www.moj.gov.kw |
| Oman | Ministry of Justice & Legal AffairsOversees Oman's courts, including the personal-status (family) courts that handle divorce, custody, maintenance and inheritance — and the enforcement of custody and support orders.Legal basis: Personal Status Law and the Judicial Authority Law (Royal Decree 90/1999) | — | www.mjla.gov.om |
| India | National Commission for WomenComplaints of violence, harassment and discrimination against women; the Women Helpline 181 gives 24/7 support and referral to One Stop Centres.Legal basis: National Commission for Women Act 1990 | 181 | ncw.nic.in |
| Pakistan | FOSPAHFree complaints of workplace harassment (and, since 2022, gender discrimination), with decisions typically within 90 days.Legal basis: Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010 | — | www.fospah.gov.pk |
| Indonesia | SAPA 129SAPA 129 hotline and portal for reporting violence against women and children, with referral to shelters and legal support.Legal basis: Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (Law 12/2022) | 129 | laporsapa129.kemenpppa.go.id |
| Ireland | Legal Aid BoardFree or low-cost civil legal aid and advice, including family law (divorce, custody, maintenance) and international protection.Legal basis: Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 | — | www.legalaidboard.ie |
| France | Juge aux affaires familiales (JAF)The juge aux affaires familiales decides marriage dissolution, divorce, séparation, parental authority, child residence and child support (pension alimentaire); the CAF's ARIPA helps recover unpaid support.Legal basis: Code civil | — | www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/N142 |
| Germany | FamiliengerichtDivorce, custody, contact and child/spousal support are decided by the family court; the local Jugendamt (youth-welfare office) advises free on custody and child-support questions.Legal basis: Familienrecht in the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (BGB) and the FamFG | — | www.bmj.de |
| Singapore | Family Justice CourtsDivorce, custody, maintenance and personal-protection orders; MSF's family-service and protection agencies handle abuse and child-protection referrals.Legal basis: Women's Charter | — | www.judiciary.gov.sg |
| Denmark | FamilieretshusetDivorce, custody, contact and child maintenance; complex cases are referred to the Family Court (Familieretten).Legal basis: Forældreansvarsloven (Parental Responsibility Act) | — | www.familieretshuset.dk |
| Iceland | SýslumaðurDivorce, separation, custody, child maintenance and paternity are handled by the District Commissioner where the parties agree; contested cases go to the district court.Legal basis: Marriage Act (Hjúskaparlög nr. 31/1993) and Children's Act (Barnalög nr. 76/2003) | — | island.is/s/syslumenn |
| Canada | Department of Justice — Family LawDivorce, parenting and child/spousal support; cases are filed in provincial/territorial or the federal family courts, and provinces run family-justice services.Legal basis: Divorce Act and provincial family law | — | www.justice.gc.ca/eng/fl-df |
| Australia | Federal Circuit and Family Court (FCFCOA)Divorce, parenting and property; family-dispute-resolution (mediation) is generally required before court, via Family Relationships Online.Legal basis: Family Law Act 1975 | — | www.fcfcoa.gov.au/fl/divorce |
| New Zealand | Family Court of New ZealandCare of children (custody), separation and dissolution, division of relationship property and protection orders; the free Family Legal Advice Service helps lower-income people early on.Legal basis: Care of Children Act 2004 and the Family Proceedings Act 1980 | — | www.justice.govt.nz/family |
Each entry links to the official body and shows the date we last verified it. This is legal information, not advice, and we don't take payment to list anyone. See the full country directories for every channel, not just the headline one.