SAFETY PLAN
One of the most important things you can do when developing your safety plan is to talk to a victim advocate who can help you fully consider safety issues, understand your legal rights, and identify community resources (i.e. shelters, financial assistance, or food bank). You can locate a victim advocate through the Family Crisis Center, which provides services at no-charge to victims. You can also call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Following these suggestions is not a guarantee of safety, but could help improve your safety situation.
STEP ONE: SAFETY DURING A VIOLENT SITUATION
You cannot always avoid violent incidents. In order to increase safety, you may use a variety of strategies. You can use some of the following strategies:
A. If I decide to leave, I will ____________________________________________. (Practice how to get out safely. What doors, windows, elevators, stairwells, or fire escapes would you use?)
B. I can keep my purse and car keys ready and put them (location) ______________________________ in order to leave quickly.
C. I can tell _____________________________ about the violence and request that she or he call the police if she or he hears suspicious noises coming from my house.
D. I can teach my children how to use the telephone to contact the police, the fire department, and 911.
E. I will use _______________________ as my code with my children or my friends so they can call for help.
F. If I have to leave my home, I will go to __________________________________. (Even if you don’t think there will be a next time.)
G. When I expect we’re going to have an argument, I’ll try to move to a place that is low risk, such as _________________________________________. (Try to avoid arguments in the bathroom, garage, kitchen, near weapons, or in rooms without access to an outside door.)
STEP TWO: SAFETY WHEN PREPARING TO LEAVE
Many victims frequently leave the residence they share with their abusive partner. Leaving must be done with a careful plan in order to increase safety. Abusers often strike back when they believe that a victim is leaving a relationship. You can use some or all of the following strategies:
A. I will leave money and an extra set of keys with _______________________ so I can leave quickly.
B. I will keep copies of important documents or keys at _______________________________________.
C. I will open a savings account at _____________________________, to increase my independence.
D. I will check with _________________________ and _________________________ to see who would be able to let me stay with them or lend me some money.
E. I can leave extra clothes or money with ________________________________________.
F. I will sit down and review my safety plan every ___________________________________ in order to plan the safest way to leave the residence.
G. ________________________ (domestic violence advocate or friend’s name) has agreed to help me review this plan.
H. I will rehearse my escape plan and, as appropriate, practice it with my children.
STEP THREE: SAFETY IN YOUR OWN RESIDENCE
There are many things that you can do to increase safety in your own residence. It may be impossible to do everything at once, but safety measures can be added step by step. Safety measures I can use:
A. I can change the locks on my doors and windows as soon as possible.
B. I can install an outside lighting system that activates when a person is close to the house.
C. I will tell the people who take care of my children which people have permission to pick up my children and that my partner is not permitted to do so. The people I will inform about pick-up permission include: __________________________ (name of school) ________________________ (name of babysitter) _________________________ (name of teacher) _____________________ (name of church leader) ________________________ (name[s] of others)
D. I can inform (neighbor) ___________________ and (friend) ________________________ that my partner no longer resides with me and that they should call the police if he is observed near my residence.
STEP FOUR: SAFETY ON THE JOB AND IN PUBLIC
Each victim must decide if and when he or she will tell others that his or her partner is abusive and that he or she may be at continued risk. Friends, family, and co-workers can help to protect you. Each person should carefully consider which people to invite to help secure their safety. You might do any or all of the following:
A. I can inform my boss, the security supervisor, and _______________________ at work.
B. I can ask ____________________________ to help me screen my telephone calls at work.
C. When leaving work, I can _________________________________________.
D. If I have a problem while driving home, I can _________________________________________.
E. If I use public transit, I can _________________________________________.
F. I will go to different grocery stores and shopping malls to conduct my business and shop at hours that are different from those I kept when residing with my abusing partner.
G. I can use a different bank and go at hours that are different from those kept when residing with my abusing partner.
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STEP FIVE: ITEMS TO TAKE WHEN LEAVING
PHONE NUMBERS I NEED TO KNOW
When people leave partners, it is important to take certain items. Beyond this, victims sometimes give an extra copy of papers and an extra set of clothing to a friend just in case they have to leave quickly. You may want to bring:
*Identification for myself
*Children’s birth certificate
*My birth certificate
*Social Security cards
*School and vaccination records
*Money
*Checkbook, ATM card
*Credit cards
*Key - house, car, office
*Driver’s license and registration
*Medications
*Copy of protection order
*Welfare identification, work permits, green cards
*Passport(s)
*Divorce papers
*Medical records - for all family members
*Lease/rental agreement, house deed, mortgage
*Children’s favorite toy/blanket
*Pictures
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Police/sheriff’s department (local) - 911 or:
_________________________________
Police/sheriff’s department (work): _________________________________
Police/sheriff’s department (school):
_________________________________
Prosecutor’s office:
_________________________________
Work number:
__________________________________
Supervisor’s home number: __________________________________
Other:
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
National Domestic Violence Hotline:
800-799-SAFE (7233) www.ndvh.org
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Family Crisis Center 24-hour Hotline:
1-800-962-5601
