For information about services in the Orange County community, you may contact the Domestic Violence hotline at (714) 992-1931 (24 hours) who will provide counselors and referrals to shelters and other specialized services to assist you. View more information on Domestic Violence.

Child Protective Services: 1 (800) 442-4918

CASA provides a powerful voice and a meaningful connection for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, and abandonment. For more information about this volunteer program working with abused children, visit www.casaoc.org.

The Adult Abuse Service (1 (800) 451-5155) is a County of Orange Services Agency which provides aid in circumstances involving elder abuse or abuse to handicapped adults. Learn more about elder abuse.

The victims of domestic violence should file a criminal complaint with the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the incident. The local police agency will investigate any criminal conduct and file appropriate charges with the District Attorney's Office for criminal prosecution.

You may file suit for losses suffered as the result of the abuse, including medical expenses, loss of earnings and other expenses for injuries sustained and damage to your property, and other related expenses that you or your sheltering agency incurred.

Trauma Intervention Programs Inc. (TIP) is a national non-profit organization founded in 1985. TIP has 14 affiliates serving over 250 cities across the nation. Each affiliate uses specially trained citizen volunteers to respond to traumatic incidents to support victims and their families in the first few hours following a tragedy. Learn more about TIP.

The Westminster Police Department believes that it is the right of every person regardless of background, to be secure and protected from fear, intimidation, and physical harm caused by the activities of violent groups and individuals. All reported cases of hate crimes will be fully investigated. Learn more about hate crimes.

As a victim, you have the right to go to Superior Court an file a petition requesting any of the following orders for relief:

• An order restraining the attacker from abusing the victim and other family members.
• An order directing the attacker to leave the household.
• An order preventing the attacker from entering the residence, school, business, or place of employment of the victim.
• An order awarding the victim or other parent custody of or visitation with a minor child or children.
• An order restraining the attacker from molesting or interfering with minor children in the custody of the victim.
• An order directing the party not granted custody to pay support of the minor children, if that party has a legal obligation to do so.
• An order directing the defendant to make specified debt payments coming due while the other is in effect.
• An order directing that either or both parties participate in counseling.

To obtain information about domestic violence temporary restraining orders, call (714) 935-7956. This is a 24-hour recorded message in English and Spanish which will advise you where and how to obtain a domestic violence temporary restraining order. Advocates are available at that number during regular business hours.

If you have obtained a restraining order against the offender and the offender willingly violates the order, he/she will be arrested and, in most cases, taken to jail if still present when the officers arrive.