Finding help across borders shouldn't be this complicated.
Different parts of one abusive situation can involve different countries, services and professional systems. Tied Across Borders is building a Global Support Resource Navigator designed around that reality. We have begun verifying useful information, but our ambition is much larger than a small collection of national links.
PROPOSED FUTURE SERVICE — watch the video below to see our vision prototype.
The Global Support Resource Navigator is not live yet. This film shows what we want to build. Scenarios shown are illustrative, not real cases.
Different parts of the same situation may involve different countries and institutions. The right route depends on the facts, not on any single answer such as where the other person lives.
Where you live: police and emergency help, domestic-abuse support, psychological support, migrant support.
Where the other person is: police or legal routes there, local professional support.
Where the tie is based: family or child-welfare routes, property or business law, documents and notaries, immigration status.
International: Central Authorities, international social-work services, treaty mechanisms, police-to-police cooperation.
A tie can be a child, documents, a visa, property, a business, money, a pet or a digital account. The tie itself is not the problem; the concern is when it becomes a route for control.
Find help by type of need
Immediate safety & police
Emergency help and reporting a crime. In an emergency, contact local emergency services.
Usually relevant: where you are now.
Domestic-abuse support
Advice, safety planning and advocacy.
Usually relevant: where you live.
Stalking & harassment
Unwanted contact, tracking and threats, including from another country.
Usually relevant: where you live, sometimes also where the other person is.
Children & family
Contact, relocation and child welfare.
Usually relevant: usually where the child lives, sometimes alongside international routes.
Immigration & migrant support
Visas, sponsorship, residency, documents and threats linked to immigration status.
Usually relevant: the country whose immigration system applies.
Work & exploitation
Withheld wages, documents or housing linked to work.
Usually relevant: where the work happens.
Digital & image-based abuse
Monitoring, impersonation and threats to share intimate images.
Usually relevant: where you are, and the platform involved.
Property, money & business
Shared assets, accounts, debts and businesses.
Usually relevant: where the asset or business is.
Legal help
Lawyers for family, criminal, immigration, property or business matters.
Usually relevant: where proceedings take place or the issue is based.
Translation & interpreting
Interpreting conversations and proceedings, translating documents, and certified or sworn translation.
Usually relevant: depends on where the service or document will be used.
Documents, notaries & legalisation
Notarised documents, apostilles and legalisation for use abroad.
Usually relevant: where the document was issued and where it will be used.
Psychological support
Counselling, therapy and trauma-informed support.
Usually relevant: where you are based; remote support is sometimes possible.
Embassies & consulates
Consular information, passport and document help, and understanding local services. They cannot replace police, courts or lawyers.
Usually relevant: your own country's embassy or consulate where you are.
Pets & shared responsibilities
When a shared animal or responsibility becomes leverage.
Usually relevant: where the animal lives.
Start with the kind of help you need. Country-specific listings will be added as each country guide is verified.
Cross-border cases can involve more than one legal system. The relevant jurisdiction and procedure depend on the facts and applicable law. We provide information and signposting, not individual legal advice.
Country-by-country guidance
IN DEVELOPMENT
Future country guides
IN DEVELOPMENT — NOT YET A REFERRAL SERVICE
Our goal is to build verified guidance for every country. Each future country guide will cover:
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emergency and police
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domestic-abuse services
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legal support
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immigration and migrant support
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children and family
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psychological support
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translation and interpreting
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notaries and document procedures
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embassies and consulates
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digital safety
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international mechanisms
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verified professionals
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date last reviewed
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a way to report outdated information
This country-by-country database is being built. We will only publish country guidance once we are satisfied that the information has been responsibly checked.
Finding professionals who understand cross-border cases
A major part of our long-term vision is a verified international network of lawyers and other qualified professionals with cross-border experience: lawyers, psychologists, translators, interpreters, notaries and specialist advocates.
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Future filters: country, jurisdiction, practice area, language, remote consultation, legal aid, pro bono and fixed fees.
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Three levels, none of which means "TAB recommends":
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Listed: identity and registration checked.
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TAB-reviewed: further due diligence.
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TAB-trained: completed a future TAB training programme.
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No pay-to-rank. A professional will not be able to buy a higher place in a directory used by people in vulnerable situations.
Directory, Jurisdictions, Languages
Navigation, Specialist services
When no single country has the whole answer
Some situations engage international mechanisms that do not belong to one country. They are a separate layer of the navigator. Our guides will explain what each one does, when it may be relevant, what it cannot do, and how people normally reach it.
Hague Convention mechanisms
Treaties between participating countries, including on international child abduction and cross-border child protection. They do not decide custody on their own.
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Central Authorities
National offices that handle applications under some of these treaties. Each participating country has its own.
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International Social Service
An international network of social-work organisations that can help with some child and family situations across borders.
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International police cooperation
Police forces can work with each other across borders. This is not a reporting line: people normally report to their local police.
Having to pursue a case in another country?
Tied Across Borders is developing advocacy and research around cross-border access to justice, including the cost of legal representation, translation, travel and other barriers faced by people whose case is heard abroad. We do not currently fund legal costs or provide legal advice.
Help us map the gaps
The navigator will be built with the people who know where the gaps are.
Have lived experience? Take part in our research.
Work in legal or support services? Tell us about resources in your country.
A qualified professional? Register interest in the future professional network.
NGO, university or institution? Explore collaboration.
Want to fund this work? Support the development of the Global Support Resource Navigator.