Making A Safety Plan
It may also be useful for you to make a safety plan in advance to deal with the next act of violence.
The Safety Plan below allows you to plan ahead to physically keep yourself and your children safe from violence .
- Keep in mind the different options and resources that may be available to you in a situation of crisis. Have a list of emergency numbers, including numbers of nearest police post, hospital, hotline numbers, crisis centers, family, friends and neighbours that you can trust.
- Teach your children to call the emergency number, “999” for police in case of an emergency.
- Keep a small amount of money handy at all times – including change for the phone and for bus fares. Know where the nearest phone is, and if you have a mobile phone, try to keep it with you.
- Be prepared to leave the house in an emergency. Plan where to go in a situation of emergency – to the home of a relative or a friend you trust and who you know will not try to contact the offender.
- Pack an emergency bag, and hide it somewhere safe (for example, at a family member or friend’s house). The bag should contain:
- Some form of identification
- Birth certificates
- Passports, visas and work permits
- Money, bankbooks, cheque book, credit and debit cards.
- Keys for house, car, and place of work. (Get an extra set of keys cut, and put them in the emergency bag.)
- Driving license and car registration documents, if applicable.
- Prescribed medication
- Address book
- Clothing and toiletries for you
- Any documentation relating to the abuse – e.g. police reports, court orders and copies of medical records if any
- In the event of an attack, avoid the kitchen or garage where there are likely to be knives or other weapons; and avoid rooms where you might be trapped, such as the bathroom or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
Click on these links for more information
• Dealing with family violence
• What is family violence?
• What can I do if I’m facing family violence?
• Getting a Personal Protection Order (PPO)
• How to help a friend/relative/neighbour facing family violence