Name : *
Email : *

Step 1. Safety during violence.

I can use the following options:

• If I decide to leave, I will .
• I can keep a bag ready and put it so I can leave quickly.
• I can tell about the violence and have them call the police when violence erupts.
• I can teach my children to use the telephone to call the police and the fire department.
• I will use this word code for my children, friends, or family to call for help.
• If I have to leave my home, I will go .(Be prepared even if you think you will never have to leave.)
• I can teach these strategies to my children.
• When an argument erupts, I will move to a safer room such as . See Your Safety Plan.
• 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:

• I will leave money and an extra set of keys with .
• I will keep important documents and keys at .
• I will open a savings account by this date to increase my independence.
• Other things I can do to increase my independence are:
• The domestic violence hotline is .
• The shelter's hotline is .
• 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 the batterer 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.
• I will check with and to know who will let me stay with them or who will lend me money.
• I can leave extra clothes with .
• 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.)
• I will rehearse the escape plan and practice it with my children.

Step 3. Safety At Home

I can use the following safety methods:

• I can change the locks on my doors and windows as soon as possible.
• I can replace wooden doors with steel doors.
• I can install security systems- i.e. additional locks, window bars, poles to wedge against doors, electronic sensors, etc.
• I can purchase rope ladders to be used for escape routes from the second floor.
• I can install smoke detectors and buy fire extinguishers for each floor of my home.
• I can install an outside lighting system that lights up when someone approaches my home.
• 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.
• I will tell the people who care for my children, who has permission to pick up my children. My partner is NOT allowed to. Inform the following people:
  
  • School
  • Day Care
  • Babysitter
  • Sunday School
  • Teacher
  • And
  • Others
• I can tell my 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:

• I will keep the protection order (the location). Always keep it with you.
• 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.
• If I visit other counties, I will register my protection order with those counties.
• I can call the local domestic violence agency if I am not sure how to register my protection order with the police departments.
• I will tell my employer, my church leader, my friends, my family and others that I have a protection order.
• If my protection order gets destroyed, I know I can go to the County Courthouse and get another copy.
• 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.
• 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 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:

• I can tell my boss, security, and at work about this situation.
• I can ask to help screen my phone calls.
• When leaving work I can do the following:
• When I am driving home from work and problems arise, I can
• If I use public transportation, I can
• I will shop at different grocery stores and shopping malls at different hours than I did when I was with my partner.
• I will use a different bank and bank at different hours than I did when I was with my partner.
• I can also do the following:

Step 6. Drug and Alcohol Use.

I can enhance my safety if I do the following:

• 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.
• I can also
• If my partner is using, I can
• I can also
• To protect my children, I can

Step 7. Emotional Health

I can do the following:

• If I feel depressed and ready to return to a potentially violent situation/ partner, I can I can call
• When I have to talk to my partner in person or on the phone, I can
• I will use "I can..." statements and I will be assertive with people.
• I can tell myself "" when I feel people are trying to control or abuse me.
• I can call the following people and/ or places for support:
• Things I can do to make me feel stronger are: