Protect Yourself and Your Children

The most important thing 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 that may contain hard-to-replace information
  • Suggested essential documents (for you and your children):
    • Social security card
    • Birth certificate 
    • Marriage/divorce certificate
    • Medical prescriptions
    • Bank statement 
    • Last year’s tax documents
    • Driver’s license or State identification card
    • Car ownership documentation, including registration and title
    • School records, IEPs, and any other documents needed to enroll in school
    • Any professional licenses

Once you’ve drawn up a plan that feels solid to you, put it into 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:

If you think your relationship may be abusive or 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