IN AN EMERGENCY

 

If you are at home and you are being threatened or attacked:
 

Stay away from the kitchen (the abuser can find weapons, like knives, there)
 

Stay away from bathrooms, closets/small spaces where the abuser can trap you
 

Get to a room with a door or window to escape
 

Get to a room with a phone to call for help; lock the abuser outside if you can
 

Call 911 (or your local emergency number) right away for help; get the dispatchers name
 

Think about a neighbor or friend you can run to for help
 

If a police officer comes, tell him/her what happened; get his/her name and badge number
 

Get medical attention if you are hurt
 

Take pictures of bruises or injuries
 

Call a domestic violence program of shelter; ask them to help you make a safety plan
 

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AT HOME

 

Learn where to get help; memorize emergency phone numbers
 

Keep a phone in a room you can lock from the inside; if you can, get a cellular phone that you keep with you at all times (most crisis centers have a supply of 911 phones from which you can borrow)
 

If the abuser has moved out, change the locks on your door; get locks on the windows
 

Plan an escape route out of your home; teach it to your children
 

Think about where you would go if you need to escape
 

Ask the neighbors you trust to call the police if they see they abuser at your house; make a signal for them to call the police; for example, if the phone rings twice, a shade is pulled down or a light is on
 

Pack a bag with important things you’d need if you had to leave quickly; put it in a safe place or give it to a friend or relative you trust (see checklist at side)
 

Get an unlisted phone number
 

Block caller ID
 

Use an answering machine to screen calls
 

Have a full tank of gas
 

Take a good self defense course
 

HOW TO MAKE YOUR CHILDREN SAFER

 

Teach them not to get in the middle of a fight, even if they want to help
 

Teach them how to get to safety, to call 911, to give your address and phone number to the police
 

Teach them whom to call for help
 

Make sure the children know who to tell at school if they see the abuser
 

Make sure that the school knows not to give your address or phone number to anyone
 

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF OUTSIDE THE HOME

 

Change your regular travel habits
 

Try to get rides with different people
 

Shop and bank in a different place
 

Cancel any bank accounts or credit cards you shared; open new accounts at a different bank
 

Keep emergency numbers with you at all times
 

Keep change or pre-paid calling card with you at all times
 

Keep a cell phone and program it to 911 (or other emergency numbers)
 

HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF SAFER AT WORK

 

Give a picture of the abuser to security and friends at work
 

Tell your supervisors; see if they can make it harder for the abuser to find you
 

Don’t go to lunch alone
 

Ask a security guard to walk you to your car or the bus
 

If the abuser calls you at work, save voice mail and save e-mail
 

Your employer may be able to help you find community resources