Creating a safety plan is:
1) A way to help women identify ways to protect themselves and their children against an abusive partner
2) A way for women to become more aware of both her personal resources and those in the community
3) A way to help women determine the steps she needs to take to protect herself and her child(ren)
In creating a safety plan, it is important to remember that:
1) A safety plan will change over time
2) A safety plan is needed whenever the possibility of abuse is identified
3) This safety plan information is specifically designed for actions that YOU can take
4) This safety plan information also includes actions you can take to increase your children’s safety
5) It is important to become familiar with and to review and/or revise your safety plan regularly. Abusive situations and risk factors can change quickly.
Consider the following questions before completing the Safety Plan:
1) What are some of the cues and behaviours present before a violence incident
occurs?
2) What have you done in the past to successfully protect yourself and your child(ren)?
** You are the expert on the abuser’s violent behaviour **
My Safety Plan
Name: _________________________
Date: ______________________
Review dates: ___________________________
The following steps represent my plan for increasing my safety and preparing in advance for the possibility of further violence. Although I do not have control over my partner’s violence, I do have a choice about how to respond to him/her and how to best get myself and my children to safety.
Step 1: During a Violent Situation
I can use some or all of the following strategies:
1. If I decide to leave, I will _______________________________________________ ______________________________________ ________________________________
______________________________________ ________________________________
(Practice how to get out safely. What doors, windows, elevators, stairwells, or fire escapes would you use?)
2. I can keep my purse and car keys ready and put them _____________ (name the place) in order to leave quickly.
3. I can tell ___________________(name the person) about the violence and request they call the police if they hear suspicious noises coming from my house.
4. I can teach the children how to use the telephone and contact the police and the fire department.
5. I will use ______________ as my code word with my children or my friends so they can call for help.
6. If I have to leave my home, I will go to ________________(Decide where to go even if you don’t think there will be a next time). If I cannot go to the location above, then I can go to ________________ or ________________.
7. I can also teach some of these strategies to some/all of my children.
8. When I expect we are going to have an argument, I will try to move to a space that presents the lowest risk, such as______________________________________________
(Try to avoid arguments in the bathroom, in the garage, in the kitchen, near weapons, or in rooms without access to an outside door).
9. I will use my judgment and intuition. If the situation is very serious, I can give my partner what he/she wants to calm him/her down. I have to protect myself until I/we are out of danger.
To Remember:
□ Start to position yourself near a place to get out quickly or dial 911, if necessary
□ Try to move to a space where risk is lowest (Away from confined spaces).
□ Use your judgment and intuition – if the situation is very serious, you may have to agree with your partner and give him/her what he/she wants to calm him/her down. Your safety comes first
□ Make as much noise as possible - set off the fire alarm, turn up the TV/stereo - so neighbours may call the police for you.
□ Give 911 as much information as possible. If you cannot talk, leave the phone off the hook so they can track your address (this does not work with a cell phone).
Step 2: Safety When Preparing to Leave
Leaving must be done strategically in order to increase safety. Abusers often strike back when they believe that a battered partner is leaving the relationship. You can use some or all of the following strategies:
1. I will leave money and an extra set of keys with ________________ so I can leave quickly.
2. I will keep copies of important document or keys at ___________________________.
3. I will open a bank account by _________(date) to increase my independence. I will open it in my own name and arrange that no bank statements or other calls be made to me or arrange that mail be sent to a friend or family member.
4. To make private phone calls, I can keep quarters and my own phone card with me at all times. I will check with the phone services to make sure that the last number I have called cannot be accessed by my abuser.
5. I will contact ___________(name) and _________ (name) for a temporary place to stay and for emergency financial assistance.
6. I can leave extra clothes with _____________(name).
7. I will sit down and review my safety plan every _____(week, 2 weeks, month) in order to plan the safest way to leave the residence. My counsellor or friend _________(name) has agreed to help me to review this plan.
8. I will rehearse my emergency escape plan and, when appropriate, practice it with my children.
9. I will set aside, in a place I can get to quickly, $10 to $20 for cab fare or gas.
10. I will plan my emergency exits.
Special Considerations:
1. If I do not feel comfortable speaking English, I will ask _____________(name) to translate or to help me find someone to speak with in my own language.
2. I can ask _____________(name) if I am concerned about my animal’s welfare should I leave.