When You Can't Say a Word: Text-to-911 Is a Lifeline for Survivors

This week, Louisville made a quiet but meaningful change to how people in crisis can reach for help. On July 7, city officials announced that text-to-911 is now a permanent service across Louisville Metro, after months of running as a pilot program. Emergency dispatchers there can now receive and respond to text messages from anyone who cannot safely make a voice call.

At the announcement, Elizabeth Martin, CEO of the Center for Women and Families in Louisville, named exactly why this matters. Citing CDC data, she noted that 46% of women and 30% of men in Kentucky will experience domestic or intimate partner violence at some point in their lives. Texting 911, she explained, gives survivors another tool to reach emergency responders when speaking out loud could place them in even greater danger — a way to communicate silently while hiding somewhere an abuser can't find them.

We know that reality intimately. At BRASS, Inc., we hear it every day: sometimes the most dangerous moment is the one where you try to call for help.

Good News for Our Community: We Already Have This

Here's what we want every person in our ten-county service area to know: you don't have to be in Louisville to text 911. Text-to-911 has been available right here in Bowling Green and Warren County since 2020.

It's a service many people don't realize exists until they need it — and in an emergency, the service can be invaluable. So we want to make sure the word gets out now, before anyone has to use it.

Why Texting 911 Matters for Survivors

For most emergencies, calling 911 is still the fastest way to get help, and it always will be. But for someone living with abuse, a phone call isn't always an option.

A whispered call can be overheard. The sound of a phone dialing can escalate a volatile situation in seconds. And in the moment someone is trying to leave — or hiding in another room, or locked in a bathroom — the ability to send a silent message instead of speaking can be the difference between reaching help and being discovered.

Text-to-911 was built for exactly these moments. It gives survivors a discreet way to reach a dispatcher without making a sound.

How to Use Text-to-911

If you ever need it, here's how it works:

• Text the number 911 — just as you would text any contact.

• Send your location first, then describe your emergency. Texts don't pinpoint your location as reliably as a call, so your address or a clear description of where you are is the most important thing you can send.

• Use plain, simple words. Avoid abbreviations, slang, and emojis, which can cause confusion.

• Don't text and drive, and if you're able to call safely, call — voice is always faster.

The simplest way to remember it: Call if you can. Text if you can't.

You Are Not Alone

Technology like text-to-911 is one more tool in a survivor's toolbox — but no one should have to navigate abuse alone, with or without a phone in hand. If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, our advocates are here 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Our services are free and confidential. Whether you need safety planning, emergency shelter, or simply someone who believes you, we're ready when you are.

24-Hour Crisis Line: 1-800-928-1183

You deserve to be safe. You deserve to be heard. And you never have to face this alone.