Safety Plan
A safety plan is one of the most important things you do.What is a safety plan? It is a set of actions that can help lower your risk of being hurt by your partner. It includes information specific to you and your life that will increase your safety at school, home, and other places that you go on a daily basis.
Why is a safety plan necessary? An abuser may become more threatening and difficult if they suspect you might leave, and the threat continues during the months after leaving them. It is critical you plan ahead, taking into consideration your partner’s likely response and how to best avoid harm.
If you are planning to leave an abusive relationship, is critical that you connect with someone knowledgeable about domestic violence that can help you create a safety plan that addresses your specific situation and needs. Read on or call our 24-hour hotline at 860-838-8467 and and let us help you. Or use this tool for creating a safety plan from the National DV Hotline.
Tips for Creating your Safety Plan
One of the most important things you can do when creating a safety plan is to identify a safe place where you can go if the abuser shows signs of escalating. Make a list of trusted people to contact (friends, relatives, coworkers, your attorney, etc.). Keep the Interval House hotline handy: 860-838-8467.
Pack a “go bag” of essentials, including:
- Personal identification for you and your children, including: birth certificates, driver’s licenses, social security cards, and passports. If taking the master copies of these items would alert the abuser you plan to leave, make copies.
- Cash, debit and credit cards, checkbook
- Important documents like insurance cards and policies, immunization and school records, W-2s, pay stubs, etc.
- Medication
- A change of clothes
- Keys
- Any documentation that you have about the abuse, including pictures, recordings, medical records, and police reports
- A “burner” cell phone you can use that won’t be tracked by the abuser
Find a safe place to hide your bag — with a friend, relative, at work, or another place the abuser cannot access. It is important to not risk of being alone with the abuser when retrieving your things; ask for a police escort or bring friends with you.