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Your Safety Plan
- Decide now where you'll go, and how you'll get there, the next time your partner becomes violent. DO THIS, even if you don't think that there will be a next time.
- Keep all your important documents in one secure place near an exit in your house or in a safe location outside of your home. Some documents you should keep in a secure place: your driver's license, birth certificates, financial records, medical records, credit cards, identification cards, passports, marriage license, Social Security cards, etc.
- Have some money in a safe location for the day of your departure.
- Keep an extra set of car keys and extra clothing hidden outside your house at a safe location.
- Prepare some small, easily carried bags for you and your children with just essential personal articles (clothes, medication, toothbrushes, etc.) and keep it in a safe location.
- If it is possible, tell someone you can trust about the violence. Try to develop friendships with neighbors. Ask them to call the police if they hear any suspicious noises coming from your house. Tell someone you trust (a family member, a friend, or coworker) of your plans so you can count on their support when you leave.
- Develop a code word with your children, neighbors, and friends that lets them know that you need to get out now.
- Do not try to fight back if he seems to be "building up," especially if he is drunk or high on drugs. Instead, get out of the house. If you cannot leave safely, keep your back towards an open space. Avoid rooms where you could become trapped.
- In an emergency, call 911. Ask the police to transport you to someplace safe to discuss the possibility of an Emergency Protective Order. Contact WOMAN, Inc at any time for further support.
- As an immigrant or refugee woman, there are certain provisions under the Violence Against Women Act that may protect you and your children from being deported. Contact an advocate at WOMAN, Inc. as soon as possible. You can also get more information from any domestic violence program or an immigration lawyer.
- Always remember: YOU DO NOT DESERVE TO BE HIT! Create a safety plan today to protect yourself and your family.
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