How to Create a Safety Plan to Escape an Abuser
- 1). Put together a survival kit that is ready and packed to go should the situation warrant it. Include cash for cab fare and a change of clothing. Other items can include: extra house and car keys, birth certificates, passports, medications and copies of prescriptions, insurance information, checkbook, credit cards, legal documents such as separation agreements and protection orders, address books, valuable jewelry and papers that show jointly owned assets. Conceal it in your home or leave it with a trusted neighbor, friend or relative. Important papers can also be left in a bank deposit box.
- 2). Make a list of all important contact and hotline numbers. Keep several lists, for example, in your purse and glove compartment. Memorize the telephone number of the domestic violence hotline. Contact it for information on resources and your legal rights if you have been battered or assaulted.
- 3). Plan an escape route ahead of time and review and adjust it according to any environmental changes. Think about all possible escape routes, for example, the doors, any first-floor windows, a basement exit, elevators and stairwells. Try ro rehearse, if possible, your escape.
- 4). Find a safe place for potential victims to stay. A home of a friend or relative who will offer unconditional support, a motel/hotel or a shelter are options to consider when planning an escape route.