This information is adapted from a plan found at the Metro Nashville Police Department. It comprises of a seven step safety plan. If you are in a domestic abuse situation, <i>please</i> take the time to print this, and fill it out with a friend or family member - Even if you feel you will never need this information...!
To print this page, click on the 'thread tools' drop down menu at the top, and you will find and option to view a text only printable version.
Step 1. Safety during violence.
I can use the following options:
a. If I decide to leave, I will ________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
(See also 'Your Safety Plan', posted below!)
b. I can keep a bag ready and put it _________________________________ so I can leave quickly.
<table border="1" width="80%" cellspacing="2%" cellpadding="12%"><tr><td>
ITEMS TO TAKE, IF POSSIBLE
Money
Keys to car, house, work
Extra clothes
Medicine
Important papers for you and your children
Birth certificates
Social security cards
School and medical records
Bankbooks, credit cards
Driver's license
Car registration
Welfare identification
Passports, green cards, work permits
Lease/rental agreement
Mortgage payment book, unpaid bills
Insurance papers
PPO, divorce papers, custody orders
Address book
Pictures, jewelry, things that mean a lot to you
Items for your children (toys, blankets, etc.)
</td></tr></table>
c. I can tell________________________________abou t the violence and have them call the police if violence erupts.
d. I can teach my children to use the telephone to call the police and the fire department.
e. I will use this word code : ________________________________for my children, friends, or family to call for help.
f. If I have to leave my home, I will go ______________________________.(Be prepared, even if you think you will never have to leave!!)
g. I can teach these strategies to my children.
h. When an argument erupts, I will move to a safer room such as___________________________________
(See 'Your Safety Plan')
i. I will use my instincts, intuition, and judgement. I will protect myself and my children until we are out of danger.
Step 2. Safety when getting ready to leave.
I can use the following strategies:
a. I will leave money and an extra set of keys with____________________________________ _
b. I will keep important documents and keys at______________________________________ ____
c. I will open a savings account by this date___________________________________ to increase my independence.
d. Other things I can do to increase my independence are: ________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
e. The domestic violence hotline is _____________________.
f. The shelter's hotline is _________________________.
g. I will keep change for phone calls with me at ALL times. I know that if I use a telephone credit card, that the following month the telephone bill will tell my abuser who I called after I left. I will keep this information confidential by using a prepaid phone card, using a friend's telephone card, calling collect, or using change.
h. I will check with_________________________ and
______________________ to know who will let me stay with them or who will lend me money.
i. I can leave extra clothes with___________________________.
j. I will review my safety plan every ___________________(time frame) in order to plan the safest route.
I will review the plan with ______________________________ (a friend, counselor or advocate.)
k. I will rehearse the escape plan and practice it with my children.
Step 3. Safety At Home
I can use the following safety methods:
a. I can change the locks on my doors and windows as soon as possible.
b. I can replace wooden doors with steel doors.
c. I can install security systems- i.e. additional locks, window bars, poles to wedge against doors, electronic sensors, etc.
d. I can purchase rope ladders to be used for escape routes from the second floor.
e. I can install smoke detectors and buy fire extinguishers for each floor of my home.
f. I can install an outside lighting system that lights up when someone approaches my home.
g. I will teach my children how to use the phone to make collect calls to me and to ___________________________ (friend, family, minister) if my partner tried to take them.
h. I will tell the people who care for my children, who has permission to pick up my children, & that my partner is NOT allowed to.
i. I will inform the following people:
School__________________________________ ___
Day Care___________________________________
Babysitter______________________________ ___
Sunday School______________________________
Teacher_________________________________ ___
And_____________________________________ ___
Others__________________________________ ___
ii. I can tell the following people that my partner no longer lives with me and that they should call the police if he is near my residence:
Neighbors_______________________________ ____
Church Leaders______________________________
Friends_________________________________ ____
Others__________________________________ ____
Step 4. Order of Protection
The following steps will help enforce the order of protection:
a. I will keep the protection order______________________(the location). Always keep it with you.
b. I will give my protection order to police departments in the areas that I visit my friends, family, where I live, and where I work.
c. If I visit other counties, I will register my protection order with those counties.
d. I can call the local domestic violence agency if I am not sure how to register my protection order with the police departments.
e. I will tell my employer, my church leader, my friends, my family and others that I have a protection order.
f. If my protection order gets destroyed, I know I can go to the County Courthouse and get another copy.
g. If my partner violates the protection order, I will call the police and report it. I will call my lawyer, my advocate, counselor, and/ or tell the courts about the violation.
h. If the police do not help, I will call my advocate or my attorney AND I will file a complaint with the Chief of the Police Department.
i. I can file a private criminal complaint with the district judge in the jurisdiction that the violation took place or with the District Attorney. A domestic violence advocate will help me do this.
Step 5. Job and Public Safety
I can do the following:
a.I can tell my boss, security, and _______________ at work about this situation.
b.I can ask ___________________________________ to help screen my phone calls.
c.When leaving work I can do the following:
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
d. When I am driving home from work and problems arise, I can
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
e. If I use public transportation, I can
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
f. I will shop at different grocery stores and shopping malls at different hours than I did when I was with my partner.
g.I will use a different bank and bank at different hours than I did when I was with my partner.
h.I can also do the following:
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
Step 6. Drug and Alcohol Use.
I can enhance my safety if I do the following:
a. If I am going to use, I am going to do it in a safe place with people who understand the risk of violence and who are committed to my safety.
b. I can also____________________________________ _________________________
c. If my partner is using, I can_____________________________________ ________________________
d. I can also____________________________________ _________________________
e. To protect my children, I can ________________________________________ _____________________
________________________________________ ________________________
Step 7. Emotional Health
I can do the following:
a. If I feel depressed and ready to return to a potentially violent situation/ partner, I can
________________________________________ _________________________
I can call
________________________________________ _________________________
b. When I have to talk to my partner in person or on the phone, I can
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
c. I will use "I can..." statements and I will be assertive with people.
d. I can tell myself "_______________________________________ ___________________
________________________________________ ________________________" when I feel people are trying to control or abuse me.
e. I can call the following people and/ or places for support:
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
f. Things I can do to make me feel stronger are:
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
<br><br>
To print this page, click on the 'thread tools' drop down menu at the top, and you will find and option to view a text only printable version.
Step 1. Safety during violence.
I can use the following options:
a. If I decide to leave, I will ________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
(See also 'Your Safety Plan', posted below!)
b. I can keep a bag ready and put it _________________________________ so I can leave quickly.
<table border="1" width="80%" cellspacing="2%" cellpadding="12%"><tr><td>
ITEMS TO TAKE, IF POSSIBLE
Money
Keys to car, house, work
Extra clothes
Medicine
Important papers for you and your children
Birth certificates
Social security cards
School and medical records
Bankbooks, credit cards
Driver's license
Car registration
Welfare identification
Passports, green cards, work permits
Lease/rental agreement
Mortgage payment book, unpaid bills
Insurance papers
PPO, divorce papers, custody orders
Address book
Pictures, jewelry, things that mean a lot to you
Items for your children (toys, blankets, etc.)
</td></tr></table>
c. I can tell________________________________abou t the violence and have them call the police if violence erupts.
d. I can teach my children to use the telephone to call the police and the fire department.
e. I will use this word code : ________________________________for my children, friends, or family to call for help.
f. If I have to leave my home, I will go ______________________________.(Be prepared, even if you think you will never have to leave!!)
g. I can teach these strategies to my children.
h. When an argument erupts, I will move to a safer room such as___________________________________
(See 'Your Safety Plan')
i. I will use my instincts, intuition, and judgement. I will protect myself and my children until we are out of danger.
Step 2. Safety when getting ready to leave.
I can use the following strategies:
a. I will leave money and an extra set of keys with____________________________________ _
b. I will keep important documents and keys at______________________________________ ____
c. I will open a savings account by this date___________________________________ to increase my independence.
d. Other things I can do to increase my independence are: ________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
e. The domestic violence hotline is _____________________.
f. The shelter's hotline is _________________________.
g. I will keep change for phone calls with me at ALL times. I know that if I use a telephone credit card, that the following month the telephone bill will tell my abuser who I called after I left. I will keep this information confidential by using a prepaid phone card, using a friend's telephone card, calling collect, or using change.
h. I will check with_________________________ and
______________________ to know who will let me stay with them or who will lend me money.
i. I can leave extra clothes with___________________________.
j. I will review my safety plan every ___________________(time frame) in order to plan the safest route.
I will review the plan with ______________________________ (a friend, counselor or advocate.)
k. I will rehearse the escape plan and practice it with my children.
Step 3. Safety At Home
I can use the following safety methods:
a. I can change the locks on my doors and windows as soon as possible.
b. I can replace wooden doors with steel doors.
c. I can install security systems- i.e. additional locks, window bars, poles to wedge against doors, electronic sensors, etc.
d. I can purchase rope ladders to be used for escape routes from the second floor.
e. I can install smoke detectors and buy fire extinguishers for each floor of my home.
f. I can install an outside lighting system that lights up when someone approaches my home.
g. I will teach my children how to use the phone to make collect calls to me and to ___________________________ (friend, family, minister) if my partner tried to take them.
h. I will tell the people who care for my children, who has permission to pick up my children, & that my partner is NOT allowed to.
i. I will inform the following people:
School__________________________________ ___
Day Care___________________________________
Babysitter______________________________ ___
Sunday School______________________________
Teacher_________________________________ ___
And_____________________________________ ___
Others__________________________________ ___
ii. I can tell the following people that my partner no longer lives with me and that they should call the police if he is near my residence:
Neighbors_______________________________ ____
Church Leaders______________________________
Friends_________________________________ ____
Others__________________________________ ____
Step 4. Order of Protection
The following steps will help enforce the order of protection:
a. I will keep the protection order______________________(the location). Always keep it with you.
b. I will give my protection order to police departments in the areas that I visit my friends, family, where I live, and where I work.
c. If I visit other counties, I will register my protection order with those counties.
d. I can call the local domestic violence agency if I am not sure how to register my protection order with the police departments.
e. I will tell my employer, my church leader, my friends, my family and others that I have a protection order.
f. If my protection order gets destroyed, I know I can go to the County Courthouse and get another copy.
g. If my partner violates the protection order, I will call the police and report it. I will call my lawyer, my advocate, counselor, and/ or tell the courts about the violation.
h. If the police do not help, I will call my advocate or my attorney AND I will file a complaint with the Chief of the Police Department.
i. I can file a private criminal complaint with the district judge in the jurisdiction that the violation took place or with the District Attorney. A domestic violence advocate will help me do this.
Step 5. Job and Public Safety
I can do the following:
a.I can tell my boss, security, and _______________ at work about this situation.
b.I can ask ___________________________________ to help screen my phone calls.
c.When leaving work I can do the following:
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
d. When I am driving home from work and problems arise, I can
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
e. If I use public transportation, I can
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
f. I will shop at different grocery stores and shopping malls at different hours than I did when I was with my partner.
g.I will use a different bank and bank at different hours than I did when I was with my partner.
h.I can also do the following:
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
Step 6. Drug and Alcohol Use.
I can enhance my safety if I do the following:
a. If I am going to use, I am going to do it in a safe place with people who understand the risk of violence and who are committed to my safety.
b. I can also____________________________________ _________________________
c. If my partner is using, I can_____________________________________ ________________________
d. I can also____________________________________ _________________________
e. To protect my children, I can ________________________________________ _____________________
________________________________________ ________________________
Step 7. Emotional Health
I can do the following:
a. If I feel depressed and ready to return to a potentially violent situation/ partner, I can
________________________________________ _________________________
I can call
________________________________________ _________________________
b. When I have to talk to my partner in person or on the phone, I can
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
c. I will use "I can..." statements and I will be assertive with people.
d. I can tell myself "_______________________________________ ___________________
________________________________________ ________________________" when I feel people are trying to control or abuse me.
e. I can call the following people and/ or places for support:
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
f. Things I can do to make me feel stronger are:
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
________________________________________ _________________________
<br><br>
Comment