How to Create a Safety Plan

If you are the unfortunate victim of repeated domestic violence, it may be time to think about creating a safety plan. Don't wait for things to get out of hand. Create a safety plan, and execute it in order to ensure the well-being of you and those you love.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Decide where you can go when you have to leave in a hurry. Have a detailed plan of how you exit the house and where you can go at any hour of the day or night. Plan ahead to stay with a friend or relative, or choose a public location like a hotel or shelter.
2. Designate a safe spot inside the home, if unable to leave. Make sure the door locks and you have access to a phone. Call 911 and any friends or relatives who can assist you immediately.
3. Plan alternate avenues of escape. If you are unable to leave through a front or side door, consider other exits. Perhaps it's possible to escape through a window or basement door, for example.
4. Rent a safety deposit box at the bank for important papers like birth certificates, Social Security cards and other valuable documents. If you have any documented abuse references like past hospital records or police reports, keep these in the safety deposit box as well. Open a separate, individual bank account as well.
5. Keep a change of clothes and some money in the trunk of your car. Or, if you are going to stay at a friend's or relative's, keep some items at that house instead.
6. Store the car keys in a place where you can grab them in a hurry should you need to flee.
7. Inform your children and friends and family about the safety plan you created. Instruct your children to dial 911 in an emergency. Create a code word to give to friends and relatives over the phone that can let them know you need help.

Tips & Warnings

• Create a safety plan for the workplace as well, in case your spouse should ever show up and threaten you there.
• Educate yourself about orders of protection and restraining orders, and put them in place if need be.
• Join a support group. Often it helps you create a safety plan and offers places to go when you need to leave your home.
• Don't leave yourself in harm's way to take material things with you when you need to leave quickly. If your life is in danger, get out as fast as you can.
• Don't enter a room which has potential weapons during an argument; for instance, stay out of the kitchen if possible. Also, try to stay on the ground floor. If in an apartment, try to stay in a room that has a fire escape outside the window.