Leaving an unsafe relationship can be one of the most dangerous times for a victim. This is the time when abuse tends to escalate and turn lethal. While a safety plan cannot help you plan for every situation, it can be a good place to start your path to freedom from violence. Even if you are not ready to leave the relationship, a safety plan can help to minimize harm where possible and give helpful information for if you do plan on leaving the relationship.

The safety plan provided above covers a range of different situations to plan for:

• Safety during a violent incident
• Safety when preparing to leave
• Safety with a protective order
• Safety on the job and in public
• Safety with drug and alcohol use
• Safety after leaving
• Safety in protecting children
• Safety for emotional health
• Safety with technology

Along with planning your safety in different situations, the safety plan includes a list of items that might be helpful for you to be able to take if you decide to leave (i.e. social security cards, birth certificates, clothing, etc.). While it is not always possible to grab everything you might possibly need, you can plan for what might be most important to you.

If you have questions about safety planning or next steps, please call Family Abuse Center's 24-Hour Crisis Hotline at 1-800-283-8401 or the national DV hotline 1-800-799-7233.