Safety Plans
A safety plan is a personalized, practical plan that includes ways to remain safe while in a relationship, planning to leave, or after you leave. Safety planning involves how to cope with emotions, tell friends and family about abuse, take legal action and more.
A good safety plan will have all of the vital information you need and be tailored to your unique situation, and will help walk you through different scenarios.
Although some of the things that you outline in your safety plan may seem obvious, it’s important to remember that in moments of crisis your brain doesn’t function the same way as when you are calm. When adrenaline is pumping through your veins it can be hard to think clearly or make logical decisions about your safety. Having a safety plan laid out in advance can help you to protect yourself in those stressful moments.
When you are feeling sad, distressed, hopeless, loss of control, angry, …..
Step 1: Warning signs (thoughts, images, mood, situation, behavior, high risk people, places, things) that may be developing
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Step 2: Internal coping strategies – Things I can do to take my mind off my problems without contacting another person (healthy relaxation technique like meditate with calm app, listen to soothing music, write..etc):
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Step 3: People and social settings that provide distraction or people I can ask for help:
- Name____________________________________________________ Phone______________________________
- Name____________________________________________________ Phone______________________________
- Place______________________________________
- Place______________________________________
Step 4: Professionals or agencies I can contact during a crisis:
- Clinician Name____________________________________________ Phone______________________________
Clinician Pager or Emergency Contact # ________________________________________________________________
Hope Line Prevention: 1-877-235-4525
Step 5: Making the environment safe:
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________
The one thing that is most important to me and worth living for is:
______________________________________________
Use the following check list to help create safety during or after a Domestic Violence occurrence.
During a Domestic Violence Incident:
- Stay away from the kitchen where the abuser has access to weapons.
- Stay away from bathrooms, closets, or small spaces where the abuser can trap you.
- Get to a room with a phone to call 911 for help.
- Get medical attention.
- Take pictures of bruises, scrapes, cuts, etc.
- Make a police report.
Safety at Home:
□ Obtain a Restraining Order from your local Court.
□ Change the locks.
□ Get an unlisted phone number/confidential address (for assistance, go to www.sos.ca.gov/safeathome)
□ Keep a phone close by (cellular or house phone).
□ Install security lighting, if possible.
□ Install an alarm system, if possible.
□ Know you neighbors and inform them your abuser is not allowed near your home.
□ Keep a bag packed of items you need in case you need to leave quickly. Put it in an area you can
get to or give it to a neighbor you trust (include clothes, spare keys, cash, ID, and legal documents).
□ Plan an escape route to get out of your home (memorize and practice it).
□ Take a Self Defense class.
Children and Safety:
□ Make sure your children know how to call 911.
□ Make sure you kids know not to get in the middle of a fight.
□ Give a copy of the protective order to your children’s school.
Safety at Work:
□ Let your supervisor know you have a restraining order and give them a copy.
□ Have security walk you to your car.
Click Here for more examples of safety plans and start your plan today.
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