Safety Planning
If you are in an abusive relationship,
having a Safety Plan worked out in advance can help you
get out of the home safely and quickly if necessary. It
is helpful to work through the steps, even if things are
going smoothly. Bring your Safety Plan with you if you need
to leave in a hurry.
Step One:
Think about:
- Where you can go to make a telephone call;
- A safe place where you can stay in an emergency. This
may be with a friend or relative, a woman’s refuge,
a hotel or a B&B.
- The telephone number of the safe place;
- How to get to the safe place. Decide how you will get
there at different times of the day and night;
- The number of a local taxi firm;
- What to tell the children, and how to tell it to them,
when you need to put the Safety Plan into action.
- The Woman’s Aid FREE National Helpline is 1800
341900.
Step Two:
Write down:
- Important phone numbers
- Your PRSI/PPS or Claim Number
- Your family’s essential medicines
- Your Child Benefit Book Number
Useful Phone Numbers:
| Taxi: |
|
Health Centre (CWO): |
|
| Doctor: |
|
Social Welfare Office: |
|
| Garda Station: |
|
Housing Department: |
|
| Law Centre/Solicitor: |
|
Women’s Refuge/ Support Service: |
|
| District Court: |
|
Rape Crisis Centre: |
|
Step Three:
Collect together the following items. Hide them somewhere
you can get to them in a hurry.
- Enough money to get to a safe place by bus or taxi;
- An extra set of keys for your home;
- An extra set of keys for your car;
- Extra clothes for you and your children.
It may be a good idea to put them in a bag and store it
with a friend.
Step Four:
Think about where you can find the following items in a
hurry. Have a bag ready.
- School uniforms and some of your children’s things;
- Essential medicines;
- The health board and social welfare require personal
identification and evidence to assess your entitlement,
e.g.:
- Any court orders
- Claim’s book
- Marriage certificate
- Bank details
- RSI/PPS card
- Medical card
- Birth certificates
- Pay slips
Step Five:
If you can, discuss your Safety Plan with a trusted friend
so they can support you if you need to put it into action.
Keep your safety plan in a safe place. Ideally, somewhere
you can get it quickly if you need to leave in a hurry.
The above Safety Plan is from the booklet
‘Lean on Me, an information guide for women living
with domestic violence’ and has been reproduced with
the kind permission of Adapt Services, Rosbrien, Limerick
