Active Rescue/No Active Rescue Explanation

Services with a policy of no active rescue, sometimes called no non-consensual rescue, are services that will not contact emergency services without your direct permission, regardless of age or situation. The volunteers may ask if you’d like them to contact 911 for you, but if you say no, they will not. They will only contact the police if you directly ask them to or say “yes” when they ask you. In this guide, those services are marked with a plus sign (+). Services that generally follow this practice, but make exceptions for situations that involve a threat to someone else’s safety or the safety of a minor are marked with an asterisk (*). These options may be considered safer for people who would not feel safe or protected by police, people who are not out to their families, and people who are in emotional distress and want to be able to speak freely without the fear of involuntary hospitalization.

Services with a policy of active or non-consensual rescue are services that have a policy of contacting emergency services/police without your permission if the volunteer handling your call decides to do so based on how much identifying information you’ve given them, if they feel like you’re a threat to yourself or someone else, or if you disclose the fact that a minor is being abused. It’s important to know that depending on who picks up your call, saying something like “I want to die” or “I don’t want to be alive anymore” out of frustration or hurt may be interpreted as a suicidal threat, and may result in them contacting emergency services, regardless of your intention. These are still good services for people experiencing more mild distress that would not flag them as being in need of emergency services, and people who are experiencing severe distress and want someone to speak to and contact emergency services on their behalf. However, if police showing up to your home would make you uncomfortable or unsafe, out you, or place you at greater risk of abuse, harm, or housing instability, you should proceed with caution. These services are marked with a percent sign (%).

(%) 988 or 1-800-273-8255
988 Lifeline Chat

988 is the new emergency number for the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. They also offer an online chat line for people who may not be safe or comfortable talking on the phone, in English and Spanish. This service matches you with a local crisis helpline, which may or may not have a no active rescue policy, depending on where you’re connected.

(+) 877-565-8860
Trans Lifeline

The Trans Lifeline is a pillar of our community, and they do a lot of great work in addition to running a crisis hotline. They are able to match you to someone in both English and Spanish. They have a policy of no non-consensual intervention, unless you ask for or consent to a call for a wellness check. 

(%) Text HOME to 741-741, or AYUDA to 741-741 to connect in Spanish
Crisis Text Line

If you’re more comfortable or safe using text messaging or whatsapp instead of a phone call, the Crisis Text Line can help. They will match you with a supervised, volunteer crisis counselor. If someone is in imminent danger, their policy is to first try a safety plan with the caller, then they dispatch police for a wellness check if you’re not able to commit to the safety plan.

(%) 1-866-488-7386
Text START to 678-678
Trevor Project Chat

The Trevor Project offers a text chat line, a phone hotline, and an online chat hotline. With all three services covered, you can ask for help in a way that feels best for you. It’s important to note that they may, however, use active rescue if they feel that you or someone around you is at risk of harm. 

(*) 888-843-4564/National LGBT Hotline

800-246-7743/LGBT Youth Talkline

888-234-7243/LGBT Senior Hotline
Email HELP@LGBThotline.org for after-hours help/help during peak hours

All three of these services are connected to the National LGBT Hotline–they offer special lines for youth and seniors, who may face different challenges or want to speak to someone more understanding about their lived experiences. This is not a 24/7 resource, but you are able to reach out via email after-hours. Their policy is no non-consensual intervention unless a minor or 3rd party is in danger.

BlackLine

Provides a space for peer support, counseling, reporting of mistreatment, and witnessing and affirming the lived experiences for folks who are most impacted by systematic oppression with an LGBTQ+ Black Femme lens.

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