| You can put together a personal safety plan so you | | | | If you decide to leave, find out beforehand where |
| can keep yourself safe from your abuser. One plan | | | | you are going. Is there a friend or relative you can |
| deals with what to do when in the middle of an | | | | stay with? Find out if there are any women's shelters |
| altercation. The next plan gives you some tips on | | | | you can go to. Have a bag packed and hidden away |
| how to prepare to leave your abusive partner plus | | | | just in case you have to leave in a hurry. Make sure |
| what to take with you. Also, you will need a plan in | | | | you can get to it easily but it cannot be discovered |
| place to make sure that once you leave, he doesn't | | | | by your partner. |
| come anywhere near you. | | | | When You Leave |
| During an Altercation | | | | If you finally made the decision to leave, there is a |
| If you are in the middle of an altercation with your | | | | checklist of items you want to take with you. The |
| abusive partner, try to be in a room that you can | | | | following list is not all inclusive. Adjust the list to your |
| easily leave the house from, like a living room that is | | | | specific situation: |
| next to the front door or near a back door. Do not | | | | - Your birth certificate (if you have children, their birth |
| get yourself cornered into a bathroom where there is | | | | certificates too) |
| no escape. Also, stay away from the kitchen area or | | | | - Driver's license |
| any room that might have objects that can be used | | | | - Money, credit cards |
| as weapons. | | | | - Checkbook, savings bank book |
| Come up with a code word you can use with family | | | | - Car and house keys |
| members, friends, neighbors and your children that | | | | - Any other type of identification like a social security |
| will let them know to call the police. Talk to a | | | | card |
| neighbor you trust and ask them to call the police if | | | | - Passport (children's passports) |
| they ever hear any type of altercation coming from | | | | From the personal safety plan you developed before |
| your house. | | | | you left, you already know who you are going to |
| Find out different ways you can escape quickly and | | | | stay with. Have phone numbers of local shelters with |
| safely from your house if you have to. Practice your | | | | you in case you need their help. File a restraining |
| escape plan. See if you can escape from a window, | | | | order against your abuser. |
| fire escape, elevator, stairs, doors, etc. If the | | | | Call a domestic violence advocate to go over your |
| altercation becomes violent, do what you can to | | | | personal safety plan. They might be able to give you |
| keep yourself safe during it. You have to use your | | | | even more specific actions you can take to keep |
| own judgment at this point. Once it is safe, call the | | | | you safe. Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). You can call 24 |
| police. | | | | hours a day, seven days a week. |