If you are in immediate danger call 911.
How can you prepare for the future?
YOU have choices. Implement and follow a safety plan to protect yourself and your children.
The following steps represent my plan for my safety. Although I do not have control over my abuser’s violence, I do have a choice about how to respond and best get myself (and my children) to safety. I can use some or all of the following strategies:
- When we argue, I will try to move to a space that is lowest risk, such as _______________. (Try to avoid the bathroom, garage, kitchen, near weapons, or rooms without exit.)
- If it is not safe to stay, I can _______________. (Practice how to get out safely. What doors, windows, elevators, stairwells, or fire escapes would you use?)
- I can keep my purse, important documents and keys ready and put them _______________ in order to leave quickly. (If needed, leave extra money, keys and copies of important documents with _______________. Make sure you’ve got enough money for cab fare, a night’s stay at a motel, a couple of meals and pre-paid phone cards.)
- I can tell _______________ about the violence and request that they call the police if they hear noises coming from my house.
- I can teach my children how to use the phone to contact the police and the fire department. I will make sure they know the address.
- If I have a programmable phone, I can program emergency numbers and teach my children how to use the auto-dial.
- I will use _______________ as my code word with my children or my friends so they will call for help. I will also use _______________ as my code word/signal so my children know we are leaving, or my family or friends know we are coming.
- If I have to leave my home, I will go to _______________. If I cannot get to this location, I can go to _______________.
- The domestic violence hotline number is ___706-864-1986___. I can call it if I need shelter.
- I will use my judgment and intuition. If the situation is very serious, I can give my partner what he wants to try and calm him down. I have to protect myself until I/we are out of danger.
- I can also teach some of these strategies to some/all of my children, as appropriate.
If you would like to meet with an advocate to devise an individualized safety plan, call the crisis line 706-864-1986.
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