How To Protect Yourself and Your Children
The most important think you can do to protect yourself and your kids is to have a safety plan to get away from danger in case of an attack.
What should be in my safety plan?
- Important phone numbers
- Names of people you can ask to call police if they suspect you’re being attacked
- Secure places you can go
- A secure place to leave extra money, car keys, clothes, and copies of essential documents
Once you’ve drawn up a plan that feels solid to you, put it in practice.
- Keep a secondary, fully charged cell phone with you at all times
- Rehearse your escape route with a support person
- Open or maintain your own savings or checking account
- Keep an extra set of car keys with you at all times
For help putting together a safety plan of your own, please visit the following helpful resources
- Call the YWCA 24 hour hotline for over the phone counseling and support through the safety planning process
- National Network to End Domestic Violence
If you think your relationship may be abusive of feels threatening, you can take a quick, confidential online quiz to gauge your risk. The quiz is interactive, easy, and free. Please visit http://www.ywcabham.org/cycle-violence
