Sojourn provides domestic violence survivors with immediate physical safety, crisis support, and resources to begin rebuilding their lives independently. We offer a secure refuge from abusers and supporting services.

In Illinois, abuse survivors have several legal advocacy options, including access to legal information, court accompaniment, and assistance with protective orders. See our Resources page.

Sojourn offers court advocates to explain rights, assist with obtaining Orders of Protection and legal paperwork, and provide emotional support in Sangamon, Christian, Logan, Menard and Montgomery County in Central Illinois.

Sojourn offers counseling specifically for clients- abuse survivors and their children, both residential and for non-residential clients including individual, support groups, and crisis intervention. These services are available at no charge.

Yes, Sojourn Shelter & Services, Inc. offers support via our 24-hour hotline

Our hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and is answered by a trained crisis manager.

Contact Information:

• Hotline: 217-726-5200

• Toll-Free: 866-435-7438

The hotline serves as the primary access point for Sojourn's programs and support services. In 2025 alone, we answered 4,161 hotline calls from people seeking help.

If you're in immediate danger, you should call 911, but for domestic violence support and shelter assistance, the 24-hour hotline is available to help.

Signs of domestic abuse include extreme jealousy, controlling behavior over daily activities or finances, insults and shaming, threats of harm, property destruction, and pressuring for unwanted sex or substance abuse. These red flags can appear in various forms like physical, emotional, sexual, financial, or digital abuse, and even one or two may indicate a problem.

If any of this is happening to you, call our HOTLINE 217-726-5200 and speak with a crisis manager.

Sojourn Shelter & Services, Inc. in Springfield supports child survivors of domestic violence by providing individual counseling and education group services. These services help children with understanding domestic violence, safety planning, and safe self-expression. Additionally, Sojourn works with their caregivers to enhance their positive parenting skills and helps them understand how domestic violence affects their children. Besides counseling and education, Sojourn offers emergency shelter for children and caregivers who are victims of domestic violence.

Unfortunately, we can only accept service animals, which are defined as dogs trained to perform specific tasks for individuals with disabilities. However, the APL foster parent program is available, but it depends on the animal's temperament, and you must have records of shots, etc. An advocate can help with the process. Again, we can accept ADA compliant service animals.

You can volunteer by helping Sojourn with fund-raising projects, donation drives or simply going to Facebook to see what supplies we are in need of.

If you love to throw a party, be on the annual Comedy event committee! We could definitely use the help! Contact us here.

The legal rights of domestic violence survivors in Springfield depend on the specific state, as there are several Springfields in the U.S. Generally, survivors have the right to:

• Seek orders of protection (restraining orders) to keep abusers away.

• Access legal representation and advice, especially for family law matters.

• Receive victim compensation for expenses related to abuse.

• Protection from various forms of abuse including physical, emotional, and sexual.

If you're seeking counseling for domestic violence survivors in Central Illinois, Sojourn provides free and confidential support and counseling services to clients in Springfield.

Call the HOTLINE- 217-726-5200 for information.

If you are seeking safety planning help for domestic violence victims in Central Illinois, several organizations provide free, confidential support including crisis hotlines, emergency shelter, counseling, and legal advocacy.

Several organizations in Central Illinois provide free, confidential support for domestic violence victims, including safety planning, shelter, counseling, and legal advocacy.

Verified Central Illinois Resources:

• Sojourn Shelter & Services – Crisis hotline: 217-726-5200 - Offers shelter and provides free victim services including advocacy, counseling, and crisis support.

• HOPE of East Central Illinois – Offers shelter, transitional housing, legal advocacy, counseling, and a 24-hour crisis line.

• The Salvation Army's North and Central Illinois Division – Provides safe shelters, counseling, and resources for survivors.

• Remedies Renewing Lives – 24-hour hotline: 815-962-6102. Operates a 24/7 shelter and offers counseling, support groups, advocacy, and assistance with Orders of Protection.

Additional Support:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline – 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Available 24/7/365 with confidential support, chat, and text options.

• Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence – Statewide network of over 60 member organizations providing services throughout Illinois.

All services are free and confidential regardless of income, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. For immediate danger, call 911.