Safetyplan

Safety Planning 101

If you are being abused, it cannot be stressed enough-you need a safety plan.The information below will help you to stay safer while you decide what you want to do.

Getting Help: Safety Planning
If you are still in the relationship:

Think of a safe place to go if an argument occurs - avoid rooms with no exits (bathroom), or rooms with weapons (kitchen).
Think about and make a list of safe people to contact.
Keep change with you at all times.
Memorize all important numbers.
Establish a "code word or sign" so that family, friends, teachers or co-workers know when to call for help.
Think about what you will say to your partner if he\she becomes violent.
Remember you have the right to live without fear and violence.

If you have left the relationship:

Change your phone number.
Screen calls.
Save and document all contacts, messages, injuries or other incidents involving the batterer.
Change locks, if the batterer has a key.
Avoid staying alone.
Plan how to get away if confronted by an abusive partner.
If you have to meet your partner, do it in a public place.
Vary your routine.
Notify school and work contacts.
Call a shelter for battered women.
If you leave the relationship or are thinking of leaving, you should take important papers and documents with you to enable you to apply for benefits or take legal action. Important papers you should take include social security cards and birth certificates for you and your children, your marriage license, leases or deeds in your name or both yours and your partner's names, your checkbook, your charge cards, bank statements and charge account statements, insurance policies, proof of income for you and your spouse (pay stubs or W-2�s), and any documentation of past incidents of abuse (photos, police reports, medical records, etc.)

If you feel it's safe for you to do so, please print a copy of this safety plan and keep it in a secure place.
If it is not safe for you to have this printed form in your possession, mentally compose your answers to the questions so that you have a strategy in place for the next assault.
As long as you stay in the situation, remember, there will be another assault.

Print This Page

Click here to Print This Page =

Ask yourself these questions:

Does the person you love:

Track all of your time and your whereabouts?

Constantly accuse you of being unfaithful?

Discourage your relationships with friends and family?

Prevent you from working or attending school?

Criticize you for little things or blame you for everything that goes wrong?

Anger easily when drinking or using drugs?

Control all finances or force you to account for the money you spend?

Humiliate you in front of others?

Destroy personal property or sentimental items?

Threaten to hurt you or your children?

Hit, punch, slap, kick, shove or bite you or your children (or pets)?

Use or threaten to use a weapon against you or your children?

Force you to have sex against your will?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, now is the time to get help.

Back to Home Page



	Getting Help: Personal Safety Plan The following steps are my plan for increasing my safety and preparing to protect myself in case of further abuse. Although I can�t control my abuser�s violence, I do have a choice about how I respond and how I get to safety. I will decide for myself if and when I will tell others that I have been abused, or that I am still at risk. Friends, family and co-workers can help protect me, if they know what is happening, and what they can do to help. To increase my safety, I can do some or all of the following: 1. When I have to talk to my abuser in person, I can _________________________________________________________. 2. When I talk to my abuser on the phone, I can _________________________________________________________. 3. I will make up a "code word" for my family, co-workers, or friends, so they know when to call for help for me. My code word is _________________________________________________________. 4. When I feel a fight coming on, I will try to move to a place that is lowest risk for getting hurt such as ________________________ or (at work) ___________________________ or _________________________ . (at home) (in public) 5. I can tell my family, co-workers, boss, or a friend about my situation. I feel safe telling: __________________________________. 6. I can use an answering machine or ask my co-workers, friends or other family members to screen my calls and visitors. I have the right to not receive harassing phone calls. I can ask _______________________or ____________________ to help screen (home) (work) my phone calls. 7. I can keep change for phone calls with me at all times. I can call any of the following people for assistance or support if necessary and can ask them to call the police if they see my abuser bothering me. friend_____________________________________ relative____________________________________ co-worker__________________________________ counselor__________________________________ shelter_____________________________________ other______________________________________ 8. When leaving work I can: _____________________________________. 9. When walking, riding or driving home, if problems occur, I can: ____________________________________________________________. 10. I can attend a support group for women who have been abused. Support groups are held: ______________________________ at ___________________________________________________________ . 11. Telephone Numbers I Need to Know: Police/Sheriffs Department: __________________________________ Probation Officer: ___________________________________________ Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Program: ____________________ Counselor: __________________________________________________ Clergy Person: ______________________________________________ Attorney: ___________________________________________________ Other: ______________________________________________________