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Home > Domestic Violence > Safety Plan

Safety Plan

Safety Plan

If you are in immediate danger…
 
Call 911
Call your local hotline
Call a national hotline
 
  • Call the U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or TTY 1-800-787-3224.
  • Call, text or chat Love Is Respect—the U.S. National Teen Dating Violence Helpline: 1-866-331-9474 or TTY 1-866-331-8453, text “loveis” to 77054 or live chat at http://www.loveisrespect.org.
  • Call the U.S. National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 (HOPE), which automatically connects you to a local U.S. rape crisis program based on the area code of your phone number. Secure, online private chat is available at https://ohl.rainn.org/online/
 No one deserves to be abused! If at any time you feel threatened or are being abused, dial 9-1-1 immediately! These tips have been designed to help you with your situation.
 
Tip 1: Preparing for a violent incident
  • When with the abuser, try to keep away from rooms containing dangerous objects, such as the kitchen, or the bathroom.Identify rooms with an exit.
  • Know which doors, windows, elevators or stairs to use.
  • Keep a packed bag with a friend, a relative or a neighbor.
  • Be sure to include copies of important documents.Tell one or more neighbors about the violence and ask them to call the police if they see or hear a disturbance.
  • Create a code word to use with your children, family, friends and neighbors when you need the police.
  • Have a plan!
  • Know where you will go if you decide to leave your home.
Tip 2: Preparing to leave
  • Get your own post office box.
  • Open a checking/savings account in your name.
  • Leave money, an extra set of keys, copies of important documents, extra clothes and/or medicine in a safe place or with someone you trust.
  • Identify a friend or relative willing to provide a safe place for you and your children to stay or who can lend you money.
  • Always keep with you important numbers and some change or a calling card for emergency phone calls.
  • If you have pets, make arrangements for them to be cared for in a safe place.
Tip 3: Safety with a Protective Order
  • Always keep a copy of your protective order with you, including in your car, at work, at home and with close relatives.
  • Inform family members, friends, and neighbors that you have a protective order in effect.
  • Call the police if your abuser violates the protective order.
  • Always have a backup plan you can use while waiting on the police to respond.
  • Always ask for police report numbers after calling the police.
Tip 4: Safety in your day to day life
  • Keep all windows and doors locked.
  • Develop a safety plan with your children.Inform your child(ren)’s school, day care, or anyone who cares for your children what individuals have permission to pick up your children.Inform neighbors if your abuser no longer lives with you and ask them to call the police if they see the abuser.
  • Request to have your telephone number unlisted/unpublished.
  • Never call the abuser from your home or tell him where you live.
 Tip 5: Safety on the job & in public
  • Have someone with you at all times.
  • Use a variety of routes to and from home each day.
  • At work, inform management, a co-worker and security of your situation and if possible provide them with a picture of your abuser.
  • If possible, make arrangements to have calls screened.

Be sure to have the following items when you leave:

Identification

Driver’s License
Birth Certificate
Child(ren)’s Birth Certificate(s)/Photos
Social Security Cards
Military ID Cards

Financial

Social Security Cards
Money and/or Credit Cards (in your name)
Checking and/or Savings account books
Other identifying financial information
Safety deposit box key

Legal Papers

Protective Order
Divorce/Custody Papers
Marriage License
Lease/Rental Agreement
House Deed
Car registration and insurance papers
Health and Life insurance papers
Medical records for you and your children
School records
Work permits/Green Card/Visa Passport

Other

Medications
House and Car keys
Valuable jewelry
.
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