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Safety Plan for You and Your Children
One thing that many victims of domestic violence find helpful,
is to make a safety plan. You can create one yourself or, you can call Harrington House at (707) 464-3013. We can help you
think one through.
Should you decide to write out your safety plan, be sure to keep it in a place where your partner can't find it. There are certain things that are
helpful to consider in planning for your future safety:
q Where can you keep important phone numbers (police, hotline, friends and shelter) for yourself and
your children?
q
Is there anyone you can ask to call the police it they
hear suspicious noises coming from your house or apartment?
q If you need to get out of your house or apartment in hurry, what door, window, elevator or stairwell
will you be able to use in order to get out safely?
q If you need a place to stay for a while, where can you go? Can you arrange to stay with family or
friends in a crisis? Do you know how to contact the local domestic violence program in order to arrange for emergency shelter?
q
Where can you keep your purse, car keys and some change
to make a phone call so that you can grab them quickly?
q Do your children know how to use the telephone to contact the police?
q
Is there a code word you can use with friends, family
and/or your children to alert them to call for help?
q Can you keep some money, some changes of clothes and important papers hidden somewhere your partner
doesn't know about, but that you can get to quickly? Can you keep the "escape bag" with a neighbor or in the
trunk of the car?
q
If you think you and your partner are about to have
an argument, how can you get to a room where there are fewer things that can be used as weapons? How can you avoid getting
trapped in the kitchen, bathroom, basement or garage?
Your Checklist
If you decide to leave, even for a very short period of time, take your children with you if it's at all
possible and you can do so without exposing them to harm or risk of harm, or violating a custody order. Not only can you better
ensure the safety of your children if they are with you, but having physical custody of your children will help you get temporary
or permanent legal custody of your children if you decide to file custody petition with the court.
Make copies
of important documents and keys and find a safe place to keep them in case you decide to leave. A safe place can include a
hiding place in your home or with a friend, neighbor or family member that you trust.
If you decide to leave,
take these things with you, if possible, because it may be difficult to get them later:
q
Orders of Protection, Custody orders,
Paternity documents
q Social Security cards, Birth certificates - yours and your children's
q Marriage, separation or divorce papers
q
School and vaccination records
q
Money
q
Checkbook, Savings Account Passbooks,
Automatic Teller Machine Card, PIN numbers
q Credit Cards and or account numbers
q
Keys - house, car, office, post
office box, safety deposit box
q
Drivers license, car registration
and title
q Medications and prescriptions
q Health insurance or Medicaid cards
q
Welfare identification
q Passport, green card, work permit and any other immigration documents
q
Several changes of clothes
q
Lease/rental agreement, house deed
q
Mortgage Payment book, current unpaid
bills
q
Home Insurance papers
q Address book
q
Pictures, jewelry, items of sentimental
value
q Pictures of injuries you may have gotten from your partners
abuse
q Any evidence that might help police in investigating your case,
for example, threatening letters or phone message tapes
