Michigan has a network of free resources for stalking victims and their families: a 24/7 crisis hotline (855-VOICES4), free Personal Protection Order filing through circuit court, free civil legal help through the Crime Victims Legal Assistance Project, up to $25,000 in financial compensation through the state’s Crime Victim Compensation program, and free offender tracking through MI-VINE. You do not need to have filed a police report or have an attorney to access most of these services.
Stalking is not a dispute. It is not a conflict. It is a crime — one that Michigan law defines with precision and that the state’s courts, agencies, and nonprofits have built a network of free resources to address. The problem is that most victims and their families do not know those resources exist until they have already spent months navigating the situation without them.
This is the map. Every resource listed here is free or available at no cost to the person seeking it. None of them require a police report as a condition of access. None of them require a lawyer. And almost none of them require you to have already done everything right, because stalking situations rarely allow for that.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. Everything on this page is for non-emergency access to legal protection, financial assistance, and crisis support. If you are concerned about your browser history being monitored, clear it after visiting any of the linked resources, or use a device the stalker does not have access to.
What Michigan Law Covers — and What It Means for You
Understanding the law is not just academic. It determines whether a PPO can be granted, whether a criminal charge can be filed, and whether civil damages can be pursued. Michigan has three relevant statutes that cover the spectrum of stalking conduct.
MCL 750.411h defines stalking as a misdemeanor. The legal standard requires a willful course of conduct — meaning a pattern of two or more separate noncontinuous acts showing continuity of purpose — that constitutes repeated harassment causing a reasonable person to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested, and that actually causes the victim to feel that way. The statute does not require that the stalker intend to cause harm. Willful engagement in the course of conduct is enough.
Unconsented contact under Michigan law covers a wide range of behavior: following or appearing within sight of the victim, approaching or confronting them in a public place or on private property, appearing at their workplace or residence, contacting them by telephone, sending any form of electronic communication, or placing objects on or near property they occupy. The list is not exhaustive. The pattern matters more than any individual act.
Under MCL 750.411i, stalking escalates to a felony — punishable by up to 10 years in prison — when any of the following apply: the conduct involves one or more credible threats against the victim, a family member, or a household member; the conduct violates a restraining order or PPO the stalker has been notified of; the conduct violates conditions of probation, parole, or pretrial release; or the stalker has been previously convicted of a similar offense. Aggravated stalking carries penalties in addition to any other criminal charges arising from the same conduct.
Michigan’s cyberstalking statute covers the use of any electronic medium — including the internet, computer networks, or any electronic communication tool — to send messages without consent when the intent is to cause the victim to feel harassed, intimidated, threatened, or molested. A cyberstalking conviction is a felony with enhanced penalties when the conduct violates an existing restraining order, targets a minor, or follows a prior conviction. Victims of cyberstalking can obtain a PPO under the same process as physical stalking. The conduct does not have to involve direct messages — public posts intended to target a specific individual can qualify.
Michigan also provides a civil remedy under MCL 600.2954. A victim can sue for damages in civil court whether or not the stalker has ever been charged or convicted criminally. Civil damages can include exemplary damages and attorney fees in addition to actual losses. This avenue exists independently of anything the criminal justice system does or does not do.
Personal Protection Orders — How to Get One at No Cost
A Personal Protection Order is a civil court order prohibiting specific conduct. It is not a criminal charge. It does not require a prosecutor. It requires a petition — one that you can file yourself, for free, at any circuit court in Michigan.
For non-domestic stalking (where the stalker is not a spouse, former spouse, current or former dating partner, or someone with whom you share a child), the applicable statute is MCL 600.2950a. The petition must allege facts constituting stalking as defined in the relevant penal code sections. The court does not require that charges be pending or that an arrest has been made. A judge reviews the petition and, if the facts stated meet the legal standard, can issue the PPO on an emergency basis — meaning the stalker does not have to be present or notified before the order takes effect.
Michigan Legal Help (michiganlegalhelp.org) has free PPO petition forms, instructions, and a tool that helps you identify which type of PPO applies to your situation. Court-based self-help centers, available in many Michigan counties, can assist with completing and filing the forms. Find your nearest center using the interactive map on the Michigan Legal Help homepage.
PPO petitions are filed in the family division of the circuit court in your county. Filing is free for crime victims. Bring all documentation you have: screenshots, logs of contact, prior police reports, photographs, and any other records of the pattern. Courts are instructed to review the petition and rule promptly. In emergency situations, a judge can issue a same-day ex parte order — meaning without the other party present.
A PPO in Michigan is valid for up to one year and can be extended on motion. Violation of a PPO can result in criminal contempt of court — and a PPO violation also elevates the underlying stalking conduct to aggravated stalking under MCL 750.411i, converting it from a misdemeanor to a felony. Every violation should be documented and reported. The Haven and similar regional advocacy organizations can assist victims with PPO forms, e-filing, and accompanying them to hearings at no cost.
Crisis Hotlines and Advocacy Organizations
The following are free, statewide, and available without documentation, income requirements, or prior law enforcement contact. You do not have to have filed a police report to use any of them. You do not have to have a PPO. You do not have to be in an active emergency. These resources exist for people who are afraid, for people who are trying to figure out what to do next, and for family members who are watching someone they love go through this and do not know where to turn.
855-VOICES4 (855-864-2374) — free, confidential, anonymous, available every hour of every day. Operated by the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (MCEDSV), VOICES4 is for anyone impacted by stalking, domestic violence, or sexual assault — including family members and friends of victims. Trained advocates provide crisis counseling, safety planning, and direct referrals to local services and shelters. You can also text the same number or connect via live chat through mcedsv.org. TTY callers: 517-381-8470. For privacy, clear your browser history after any online session.
1-800-799-7233 — free, 24/7, and available via online chat. Counselors provide support as well as information on shelter, legal resources, and safety planning. Stalking frequently co-occurs with domestic violence and intimate partner abuse; this line covers the full range of situations. Callers can share as much or as little as they choose.
CVLAP is a statewide program with attorneys across Michigan that provides free civil legal assistance to survivors of domestic violence and other crimes. You do not have to have reported the crime to law enforcement to receive their help. CVLAP can assist with PPO petitions, civil protective actions, housing matters that arise from stalking situations, and connecting victims with other legal resources. Reach CVLAP through cvlap.org or through the Michigan Legal Help referral tool.
855-4-VICTIM (855-484-2846) — a national referral hotline that can connect stalking victims to local resources for detailed safety planning, including location-specific guidance for home, work, and technology. VictimConnect also connects callers to information about full faith and credit for protection orders — meaning a Michigan PPO can be enforced in other states.
Regional Advocacy Organizations Serving Stalking Victims
Michigan’s domestic and sexual violence network includes locally based organizations in every region of the state. Most provide services to stalking victims as well as domestic violence survivors. The services vary by organization but typically include 24-hour hotlines, emergency shelter, legal advocacy, counseling, PPO assistance, and safety planning. All services are free or on a sliding scale for survivors.
The following serve their named regions and may be able to connect callers to resources elsewhere in the state:
Oakland County’s only 24-hour emergency shelter exclusively for domestic violence and sexual assault victims. HAVEN provides legal advocacy including PPO form assistance and e-filing, supportive counseling, and a residential program. Forensic nursing is available 24/7. HAVEN’s hotline serves callers from outside Oakland County and can connect them to local resources. havennow.org
Turning Point serves Macomb County with a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, legal advocacy, PPO assistance, and supportive counseling. Their forensic nursing program is available around the clock. Callers are not required to be Macomb County residents to use the hotline. turningpointmacomb.org
Provides victim-focused counseling and advocacy, shelter for survivors of violence, transitional housing, and legal services for individuals and families in the Kalamazoo area. ywcakalamazoo.org
Provides crisis intervention, emergency shelter, legal advocacy, support groups, and children’s services to survivors in southwest Michigan. safeplacemi.org
Since 1977, the only provider of emergency shelter and services for victims of domestic and sexual violence in Saginaw County. Serves victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking. ugrsaginaw.org
To find the advocacy organization serving your specific county, use the MCEDSV member directory at mcedsv.org or call VOICES4 and ask for a local referral. Every county in Michigan has access to services through this network.
Financial Assistance and State Programs
Stalking has real economic consequences. Lost wages when a victim cannot safely go to work. Medical and counseling costs. Moving expenses to establish a safer living situation. Security upgrades. Legal fees. The Michigan state government has programs specifically designed to offset these costs for crime victims, funded through federal crime victim assistance grants.
Administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Division of Victim Services, this program can provide up to $25,000 in financial assistance to cover out-of-pocket losses resulting from a violent crime — including medical expenses, mental health counseling, lost earnings, and in some cases funeral costs. Stalking that results in physical or psychological injury may qualify. The five-year application deadline runs from the date of the crime. You do not need a criminal conviction to apply. You do not need an attorney to apply. Apply at michigan.gov/mdhhs or call the victims-only toll-free helpline at 877-251-7373.
MI-VINE is a free, confidential, 24-hour service that provides stalking victims and their families with access to an offender’s custody status and automatic notifications when that status changes. If your stalker is arrested, transferred, released, or escapes, you will receive a notification. Register at michigan.gov/mivine or call 800-770-7657. The service is available to anyone — you do not need to be the direct victim to register, and registration does not require a police report or case number.
For victims who have an immediate critical need and for whom no other financial resource is available, the Crime Victim Foundation provides last-resort financial assistance. This is a nonprofit operating alongside the state compensation system. Contact the Michigan Crime Victim Services Commission at 517-373-7373 for information on this program and others administered through the commission.
Free Legal Tools and Self-Help Resources
Not every stalking victim can access or afford a private attorney. Michigan has invested significantly in self-help legal infrastructure specifically to address this gap. The following resources exist so that victims can take legal action without needing to hire counsel.
The state’s primary free legal self-help platform. Contains forms, instructions, and guided tools for PPO petitions, understanding your rights as a crime victim, and finding local legal aid. The Guide to Legal Help tool generates referrals based on your situation and income. Court-based self-help centers are mapped interactively on the site — many are located inside courthouses and staffed by people who can assist with filing. Michigan Legal Help does not provide legal advice, but it provides the forms, instructions, and referrals that make self-represented filing possible.
CVLAP provides free civil legal assistance to crime victims in Michigan, with attorneys distributed statewide. The domestic violence initiative specifically can assist stalking victims. CVLAP does not require that you have reported the crime to law enforcement. Access through cvlap.org or through the Michigan Legal Help referral tool.
Michigan’s Division of Victim Services maintains a technology safety resource page specifically for crime victims concerned about digital surveillance, device monitoring, and online privacy. Stalking increasingly involves technology — spyware, GPS tracking, social media monitoring, and domain registration in victims’ names. The technology safety resources at michigan.gov address these threats directly. Access through the crime victims section of the MDHHS website.
A Note for Family Members and Supporters
Stalking isolates victims. That is part of how it works. It makes the person being targeted feel that they cannot trust the people around them, cannot burden their family, cannot explain what is happening in ways that will be believed. If you are a family member or friend of someone being stalked, your role matters — and there are specific things you can do that help, and specific things that make the situation more dangerous.
The stalker’s goal is often to isolate the victim. Staying connected — without pushing for decisions the victim is not ready to make — is one of the most protective things a supporter can do. Believe what you are told. Document what you observe. Do not confront the stalker directly. Contact VOICES4 (855-VOICES4) yourself if you need guidance on how to help — the line is open to supporters, not just direct victims.
Family members can register for MI-VINE notifications without being the direct victim of record. If the person stalking your family member is in custody, you can receive alerts when their status changes — releases, transfers, escapes — the same way the direct victim can. Register at michigan.gov/mivine or call 800-770-7657.
The stalking resources published by Michigan’s Division of Victim Services include a guide specifically on how to support a loved one experiencing stalking, covering what to say, what not to say, and how to help with safety planning without taking over decisions that belong to the victim. The National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) also maintains guidance for supporters at thehotline.org.
One of the most consistent gaps in stalking cases is documentation. Victims often do not begin keeping a detailed, timestamped log until after the pattern has been going on for months. If someone in your life is being stalked and does not yet have a log, help them start one now. Date, time, location, what happened, who was present, any photographs or screenshots. This record becomes the evidentiary foundation for everything else — the PPO petition, the criminal complaint, the civil lawsuit.
This resource guide is maintained by Clutch Justice and updated as the landscape changes. If you are aware of a Michigan-based stalking victim resource that is not listed here, contact us at hello@clutchjustice.com. Anonymous tips are welcome.
Sources and Documentation
Williams, Rita. Free Resources for Stalking Victims and Their Families in Michigan, Clutch Justice (May 8, 2026), https://clutchjustice.com/2026/05/08/michigan-stalking-victim-resources/.
Williams, R. (2026, May 8). Free resources for stalking victims and their families in Michigan. Clutch Justice. https://clutchjustice.com/2026/05/08/michigan-stalking-victim-resources/
Williams, Rita. “Free Resources for Stalking Victims and Their Families in Michigan.” Clutch Justice, 8 May 2026, clutchjustice.com/2026/05/08/2026/05/08/michigan-stalking-victim-resources/.
Williams, Rita. “Free Resources for Stalking Victims and Their Families in Michigan.” Clutch Justice, May 8, 2026. https://clutchjustice.com/2026/05/08/michigan-stalking-victim-resources/.
