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| Welcome to Survivor's Empowerment Zone! |
~ Safety Planning ~
- Don't keep silent, tell your neighbors about your abuse and ask them to call the police if or when they hear a disturbance.
- Talk to your children about the problem, inform your children's school, day care workers, and babysitters about the situation so that your abuser cannot try to use the children as bait .
- Have a code word to use with your kids, family and friends so they will know to call the police.
- Teach your children how to call the police and if you are separated from the abuser, the importance of not letting him in the house or going with him without your approval.
- Develop and practice an emergency escape route in case you need to leave in a hurry.
- Have a bag packed and hidden in a safe place, such as a neighbor's house, it should contain an extra set of house and car keys, any cash you can accumulate over time, extra clothing, small toys for the children, ect.
- Gather all important papers such as financial papers, health insurance cards, legal documents such as your restraining order, social security cards, birth certificates, custody papers, drivers license, car registration, marriage or divorce papers, mortgage information, important telephone numbers, ect.
- Keep a log of the abuse and document everything with the dates and what happened, medical information, photographs of the injuries, witnesses, names and badge numbers of police.
- Move to a room with easy access to an exit and avoid the kitchen, bathroom or near possible weapons.
- Know the quickest route out of your home and practice escaping that way.
- Know where you are going to go in case you ever have to leave.
- If you are staying in the home change the locks if your abuser is no longer living with you.
- Change your routines if you are hiding from your abuser, change the stores that you shop at, the routes you walk, avoid your regular routine in every way possible.
- Inform your co-workers, your supervisor, and security at work so that they can also be alert for you Have visitors and calls screened by receptionist if possible.
- See if your company has policies to protect employees from abusers following them to work.
- Know the quickest route out of your workplace and practice escaping that way.
- Use your instincts and know you have the right to protect your children and yourself.
~ Safety Plan ~
There is a great safety plan available at
METROPLOITIAN NASHVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
Please take the time to go there, print it and fill it out completely.
Even if you feel you will never need this information, safety is extremely important
when either living with or leaving an abuser. It could literally save your life.
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