Interactive safety plan tool 1Intro2Basics3Home4School5Work6Technology7Children8Pets9Emotional NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.What is a safety plan? Your safety plan is an adaptable tool to help keep you safe in your ever-changing situation. It includes information specific to you and your life that will increase your safety at school, work, home, and other places that you go on a daily basis. Gender-based violence continues as an epidemic. Planning for safety is one way you can take back your power in abusive relationships. Although you can't control an intimate partner's use of violence, planning for safety can help you evaluate, define options and opportunities for liberation and safety. If you’re in an abusive relationship, the risk of lethal violence increases during or just after you leave an abusive partner, therefore planning for safety is critical. Your personalized safety plan is a practical plan that includes ways to remain safe while in a relationship, planning to leave, or after you leave.Safety Alert The interactive guide to safety planning requires you to enter information into an online form. Before you begin, be sure that the computer you are using is in a safe location and is not being monitored by your partner. You can learn more about how an abusive partner can monitor your computer as well as tips to keep you safe online here. If you need to hide this page quickly, click the ESC key on your keyboard or tap the "Exit This Site" link in the top right-hand corner of this page.How do I use this tool to make a safety plan? Take some time to go through each section of this safety planning tool. You will be asked a series of questions to help you identify your safety options. You can use this tool on your own, or you can use it with a friend, someone you trust, or call our crisis + intake line 1-855-687-1867. At the end of the process, you will have a printable version of your personalized safety plan that you can reference whenever you need it. You can read it online, print it immediately, or have a PDF sent to your email. The PDF will be active for 24 hours; after that, your information will be deleted from the website.Keep in mind: For this safety plan to work for you, the information you fill in must be honest and accurate. Once you complete your safety plan, be sure to keep it in an accessible but secure location. You will also have an opportunity to email a copy of your safety plan to someone that you trust. If you don't feel safe keeping a copy of your safety plan or sharing it with anyone, then you can still use the safety tips. Try to memorize at least one phone number of someone you can call any time. You can also download a PDF version of this tool to save, print, or review offline here. You know your situation better than anyone else; trust your judgment and weigh your options before taking any steps. My name is:My email address is:If it is safe to do so, enter your email below and we'll email you a PDF of your safety plan. Your private data and PDF will be deleted from our site in 24 hours. We never store your information. It is safe for BWSS to email me my Safety Plan: Yes No I live with... Family Roommates Alone My Partner Other I attend...So that we can give school-specific safety planning resources. Middle school High school College/University/CGEP I'm not in school I have a job:So that we can give workplace-specific safety planning resources. Yes No I have pets:So that we can give pet-specific safety planning resources. Yes No I have children or am currently pregnant:This will help us give you specific safety planning resources for you and your children. Yes, I am pregnant Yes, I have children Yes, I have children and I am currently pregnant No, I don't have children Safety where I live I cannot always avoid violent incidents. In order to increase safety, I may use a variety of strategies. Friends and family that I live with can help support me. i will consider carefully which people to invite to help secure my safety. I can use some or all of the following strategies:I have told someone I live with about your relationship: Yes No Please email them a copy of my safety plan Yes No This is their email address: I can use this word or phrase as a code in a phone call, text, or instant message to ask my family, friends, or neighbors to call for help without my partner knowing:If I am stranded and needed a ride home, I can call this person to pick me up or meet me:Enter this person's name and phone number below or on a piece of paper and keep it in your wallet or another safe place.This person can stay with me if I have to leave my home or don't want to be alone:Decide this even if you do not think there will be a next time. Enter this person's name and phone number below or on a piece of paper and keep it in your wallet or another safe place. This way you can reach your friends and family even when you do not have your cell phone. This is especially important if your partner has ever threatened or tried to take or break your cell phone.If I am not comfortable being at home, where else could I go to stay safe?This can be a nearby police station, a store, a library, or any other place that's open and has people around.Safety During A Violent Incident I will use my judgment and intuition. If the situation is very serious, I can give my partner what they want to calm him/her down. I have to protect myself until I/we are out of danger. If violence is unavoidable, I will make myself a small target by going to a corner and curling up into a ball with my face protected and arms around each side of my head. I will always remember to be careful and watchful of my surroundings. If I need to leave my home quickly, what items would I need to take with me? Identification (e.g., driver's license, school ID, military ID, immigration documents) Cell Phone Cell phone charger Emergency numbers Medication (e.g., asthma inhaler, insulin, Epi-Pen) Cash ATM card Credit card House key Car key A change of clothes Comfort items (e.g., favorite stuffed animal or photograph) Baby supplies (formula, diaper, wipes, change of clothes) Copy of Protection/Restraining Order Copies of any lease or rental agreements, or the deed to your home Car registration and insurance papers Health and life insurance papers Passport Divorce and custody papers Child's birth certificate Health insurance card Other I have a protection order against my partner: Yes No If I decide to end my relationship, where can I do it safely?This should be a populated public space where can talk with your partner.Who can I talk to about it afterward?Enter this person's name and phone number below or on a piece of paper and keep it in your wallet or another safe place. Safety at school Friends, professors, teachers, or staff can help support me. I will consider carefully which people to invite to help secure my safety. I can use some or all of the following strategies:I have told someone at school about my relationship: Yes No Please email them a copy of my safety plan: Yes No Their email address is: If I need to avoid seeing my partner on my way to or from class, I will take this alternate route to get there safely:Choose a different route than you usually take.These are some people I can spend time with between classes, so that I am not alone:You can list more than one person.If I need to leave school immediately, I can call this person to pick me up or meet me:Enter this person's name and phone number below or on a piece of paper and keep it in your wallet or another safe place. Safety in the workplace It’s up to me to decide if and when I will tell others that that I'm experiencing violence in my intimate relationship and that I may be at continued risk. My boss, security supervisor, or coworkers can help support me. I will consider carefully which people to invite to help secure my safety. I can do any or all of the following:I have told someone at work about my relationship: Yes No Please email them a copy of my safety plan: Yes No Their email address is: My partner and I work at the same place: Yes No If I need to avoid seeing my partner on the way to or from work, I can take this route to get there safely:Choose a different route than you usually take to get to or from work.When on my way home, if problems occur, I can:If I need to leave work immediately, I can call this person to pick me up or meet me:Enter this person's name and phone number below or on a piece of paper and keep it in your wallet or another safe place.I can ask this person to help screen my telephone calls at work: Online and cell phone safety Technology can be an essential resource to access information and a valuable platform to connect with friends, family members, advocates, and service providers for anyone experiencing gender based violence. Technology can also be used by abusive partners to begin, continue, or escalate abuse, which is why it is important to plan for my safety online. I might do any or all of the following:Strategies I can use to keep myself safe online: I can find and use a safe computer in a place like my local library, Internet cafe, shelter, workplace, or computer technology center. I will avoid using shared computers when researching things like travel plans, housing options, legal issues, and safety plans. I can give a trusted friend or family member access to my online accounts. I will clear my browsing history. I can use safe browsing practices like a VPN. I will regularly check for spyware that may be downloaded on all my devices. I can use apps that do not back-up to the cloud, do not share across devices, and require a password. I will secure my cloud with a strong password. If I find my sexual content being shared on a website, I will first collect evidence then I will contact the website about taking down the content. I have and use a cell phone: Yes No Some cell phone strategies I can use to keep myself safe are: I will use a password on my phone and update it regularly. I can block my abusive partner/ex-partner's number. I will disable notifications and only communicate when I feel safe I may need to disable and re-enable notifications throughout the day. I will filter unknown phone-numbers into a separate list. I can disable the read-receipts (the messages that say when someone read your text) so that my abusive partner won't know when I'm using your cell phone. I will turn off location-sharing to hide my physical whereabouts. I can delete my conversation history (though you should preserve this history if you need evidence for legal reasons). I can use alternative texting apps–one specific app if I need to communicate with my partner/ex-partner so that I can disable notifications specifically from that app. I can consider purchasing a pay-as-you-go phone and keep it in a safe place for private calls. I will look into what my phone and apps offer and customize them to my needs. No setting changes have to be permanent and I can always change them when I want to. I will not answer calls or text messages from unknown, or blocked numbers. I use social networking sites: Yes No Some social media strategies I can use to keep myself safe are: I will collect evidence of threats, abuse or harassment on social media–these can be helpful in demonstrating danger to the legal systems, and police. I can take screenshots for my personal records, or report the messages to the social media platform so they have a record. I will set all my online profiles to be as private as they can be. I will not hesitate to block or unfriend people who are contacting me in a way that causes stress, discomfort, or harm: I am not obliged to talk to anyone who makes me feel that way. I will ignore comment sections. If my partner is publicly attacking me, I will report them to the social media platform for harassment. I will delete/block any followers who harass me. I will only accept friend requests/followers from people I know. I will not share my phone number or home address on my profile. I will report fake profiles. I will only post things that I am comfortable with the public seeing. I can also take a social media hiatus to reduce stress. I have an email account: Yes No Some email strategies I can use to keep myself safe are: I can create a new email address that my partner doesn't know about and forward every incoming email to it. I can use my new, safe email address for safety planning and sensitive communications. When I register for online accounts, I can use this new, private email address. I will change my email password regularly. I will keep my old email account active with non-critical emails in order to keep up appearances. I can us an encrypted email service for an extra layer of security. Safety planning with childrenIf you have children, identify ways to keep them safe when violence occurs — before it takes place. That includes at home, when you’re out and about in public, and if your children spend any unsupervised time with your abusive partner. An effective safety plan includes personalized planning to keep your children safe at home and during any unsupervised time they may spend with your partner. That includes talking to your children about age-appropriate ways to protect themselves when violence occurs as well as details and items to remember while preparing to leave an abusive situation and after.My children are: All are younger than 5 Some are younger than 5 and some older All are older than 5 These are some of the ways I plan to keep them safe when violence occurs: I will teach my children how to use the telephone to contact 911 (Be careful about placing responsibility on children.) I will instruct them to leave the home if possible when things begin to escalate, and provide a safe option of where they can go (ie a room, neighbour’s or family member's home). I will teach them to never intervene even though they may want to protect me. We will create a list of people that they are comfortable talking with and expressing themselves to. I can come up with a code word for when to leave the house in an emergency and make sure they know not to tell others what the secret word means. I will instruct them to stay out of areas containing items that could be used to harm them, including kitchens and bathrooms. I will plan for what I will do if my children tell my partner of my plan, and remember never to blame them for their responses to my partner’s abusive behaviour. My word or phrase that I will use as a code with my children to let them know that they need to leave the house/call for help is:The safe place that my children can go if in danger is:This can be a room in your home, a neighbor's home, or the local police station. It should be somewhere that your children can safely go by themselves.My plan for what I will do if my children tell my partner about my safety plan is:If I need childcare in an emergency, this person could watch my children:Enter this person's name and phone number below or on a piece of paper and keep it in your wallet or another safe place.Planning for Unsupervised VisitsIf I separate from my abusive partner and am concerned for my children’s’ safety when they visit these are some of the things I can do to prepare while they are visiting: Come up with ways that my children can stay safe using the same model as I created for our home. Have my children identify where they can get to a phone, how they can leave the house, and who they can go to (if they are old enough). I can give a cell phone to my children when they go for visits that could be used in case of an emergency. I will avoid exchanging custody at my home or my partner’s home. I will meet in a safe, public place such as coffee shop or restaurant. I will bring a friend or relative with me to the exchanges, or have them make the exchange if it’s an option. Planning for my child's emotional safetyChildren who experience abusive situations are forced to process complex emotions, often without being equipped to do so in healthy ways. Creating an emotional safety plan for and alongside my children can help them navigate these emotions and prepare them to respond to moments of crisis in ways that protect their short-term and long-term emotional wellbeing. I will make sure my safety planning is age-appropriate. A safety plan will look differently for a younger child than it would for a teen, but my love and support will look the same. I will let my children know that what’s happening isn’t their fault and that they didn’t cause it. I will tell them that I support them no matter what. I will tell them that abuse is never right, even when the person being violent is someone they love. I will tell them that I want everyone to be safe, so I have to come up with a plan to use in case of emergencies. I will remember that my child might tell my partner whatever information we come up with together, which could make an abusive situation more dangerous. When talking about safety plans, I will use phrases like, “We’re practicing what to do in an emergency,” instead of, “We’re planning what you can do when ____ becomes violent.” I will help them make a list of people they’re comfortable talking with and expressing themselves to, and make sure they can contact those people if needed. I will enroll them in a counseling program or therapy. Try to find a program that is culturally relevant and specialized in child counseling. Safety Planning During PregnancyPregnancy can be an especially dangerous time for women in abusive relationships, and abuse often begins or escalates during the pregnancy.I know that I am at heightened risk during violent situations. These are some ways I will take care of myself: If I live in a home with stairs, I will try to stay on the first floor. If I am being attacked I will lay on the floor in the fetal position with my arms around my stomach. If I feel safe to do so, I will tell my doctor during a visit. If my partner goes to these appointments with me, I will try to find a moment when they’re out of the room to ask about creating an excuse to talk to the doctor/nurse alone. I will find a prenatal class that limits its attendance to those giving birth so that I can speak to the class instructor one-on-one. Safety planning for your pets I might find it difficult to escape my abusive partner because I'm concerned about what will happen to my pets when you leave. This is my safety plan for my pets:I can plan for my pet's safety by doing some or all of the following: If possible, I won't leave pets alone with my abusive partner. If I am planning to leave, I will talk to friends, family or my veterinarian about temporary care for my pet(s). I will bring food for them if I can. I will keep copies of their medical records. I will record important phone numbers, like their veterinarian, I will contact transition houses to see if they will allow me to bring my pets. If I leave my partner, I will change my pet’s veterinarian and avoid leaving pets outside alone. If I have to leave my pet behind with my abusive partner, I may ask police for assistance. Safety and my emotional health The experience of violence is usually exhausting and emotionally draining. The process of building a new life for myself takes much courage and incredible energy. To conserve my emotional energy and resources and to avoid hard emotional times, I can do some of the following:If I feel down and ready to return to a potentially abusive situation, I canWhen I have to communicate with my partner in person or by telephone, I can:Whenever I feel others are trying to control me, can tell myself:To help me feel stronger I can read:Other things I can do to help myself feel stronger are:I can take care of myself by:As other resources to be of support to me I can call:Enter this person's name and phone number below or on a piece of paper and keep it in your wallet or another safe place.To gain support and strengthen my relationships with other people I can attend workshops and support groups at Battered Women’s Support Services or at: Δ
