Safety planning
If you're currently in an abusive situation and thinking about leaving, there are some things that you might want to consider to enable you to leave in as safe a way as possible.
Some good tips are:
Some good tips are:
- Tell someone that you trust about what is going on.
- Pack an emergency bag and leave it at a friend's house. Be sure to leave important documents there e.g. birth certificates, passports, bank cards, any papers relating to the abuse (police reports and court orders), papers relating to your mortgage or tenancy. Make sure that you also have any prescription medication that you need.
- Plan in advance when a good time would be to leave e.g. when your partner is not around and make a clear plan about what you and your children will do.
- Teach your children to call 999 in an emergency and what they should say e.g. their full name, address and phone number. Teach them it is important to stay safe and not get in between you and your partner when there is abuse. Plan a code word to use if they need to leave or get help.
- Try to ensure that you have some money on your person at all times, and that you have some money kept safely so that you have it when you leave.
- If you think your partner is about to attack you, try and move to a place where is a way out and where there is a telephone. Avoid rooms like the kitchen or garage where there are likely to be knives of other weapons.
