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SAFETY
PLANNING
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Topics
Included on this Page:
The
Need for Safety Planning |
- Safety
planning is critical, whether you are in an abusive relationship
or are in the process of leaving one.
- The
risk of violence increases directly after people leave their
abusive partners.
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Develop a safety plan; it can help save your life and your
children's lives.
- Without
intervention, domestic violence often becomes more frequent
and more severe. It can lead to permanent injury or death.
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General
Practices to Increase Your Safety:
- Tell
others you trust, such as friends, neighbors, family members
or co-workers, what is happening and about ways they can
help.
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Memorize emergency numbers for the police, Shelter House
and Outreach Services, and other support persons.
- Identify
escape routes and places to go if you need to flee from
an unsafe situation quickly.
- Talk
with your children about what to do if violence occurs.
- Put
together an emergency bag with money, extra care keys, medicine,
and important papers; such as birth certificates, social
security cards, immigration papers, and medical cards. Keep
it somewhere safe and accessible, such as with a trusted
friend.
- Trust
your instincts-if you think you are in danger, you probably
are.
- If
you use a computer for email or to do research about abuse,
click here for
warnings you should follow to avoid additional danger.
- Go
to a safe place as soon as you can.
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Safety While Living With
An Abuser
- Remove
deadly weapons from your house.
- Talk
about the abuse with someone you trust.
- Ask
neighbors to call the police if they hear loud noises or fighting.
- Make
sure your children know their address and phone number.
- Teach
your children how to use the telephone and when to call for help.
- Identify
safe places to go in an emergency in advance.
- Hide
clothing, money, keys, and important documents with a friend/family
in case you need to leave quickly.
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Safety
Practices After You Leave An Abuser
- Try
to be with
someone as much as possible, especially when leaving your
house, work, or anyplace the abuser knows about.
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Change your routines.
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Report to friends/family about where you are, when you
are leaving and returning.
- Buy
additional locks and safety devices to secure your windows.
- Carry
with you at all times a cellular phone that is easily
accessible.
- Notify
the police station in your district and give them copies
of related police reports and civil protection orders.
- Always
be aware of your surroundings and look to make sure the
abuser is not around.
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