Creating a Safety Plan
Making a safety plan involves identifying the steps you can take to increase your safety and helps to prepare you and your children in advance for the possibility of further violence. It is important to become familiar with and to review and/or revise your safety plan regularly. Abusive situations and risk factors can change quickly.It is important to remember that these plans will change as life circumstances change and they should be reviewed and edited often to ensure your (and your children's) safety. The particulars of each plan vary depending on the woman's unique situation - whether she is living with the abuser, separated from the abuser, plans to leave the abuser, or plans to stay with the abuser. There are a number of resources available for women and families which will be discussed during the initial intake visit or phone call with a woman seeking support. It's important to remember that there are a lot of things to consider when you are in an abusive relationship, and our counselors empower women to take it all a step at a time and start with the safety plan ideas which seem most reasonable to the woman.
In creating a safety plan it is important to remember:
- that although you cannot control your (ex) partner's violence, it may be possible to increase your own and your children's safety
- that a safety plan is needed whenever the potential for abuse is identified
- that safety plan information is specifically designed for actions that you can take
- that safety plan information also includes actions you can take to increase your children's safety
- that it is important to become familiar with and to review and/or revise your safety plan regularly
For more detailed information on "Safety Plans" Click Here http://www.shelternet.ca/en/women/making-a-safety-plan/
