Planning to stay safe at home

Old lady and a child looking outside window after a domestic violence

If you are experiencing domestic violence, the decision to leave is often a difficult one. After living with domestic violence your self-esteem and self-confidence may be low, and it may take time to feel positive and hopeful about the future. This is quite normal and to be expected. Some people think it should be easy for a person to leave a relationship in which domestic violence is happening. It may also be harder to leave an emotional or psychologically abusive relationship than one in which there is physical violence. You may also choose not to leave a relationship, as you may believe this to be your safest option.

If you are experiencing domestic violence at home and you choose to stay in your home, one of the first things you can do is to make a safety plan. A safety plan is a guide to protecting you and your children from violence. It is tailored to your situation, so if your situation changes, your safety plan should too. You are the best judge of your situation, and you are the person best placed to decide what is best for you and your children.

If you decide to stay in your home, you may want to consider:

If there is a threat of a violent incident, or if you are actually experiencing physical violence, you can try to avoid serious injury in the following ways:

Try to set aside a small amount of money to make emergency calls, and keep key cards, house keys, essential medication and important documents together in a place that is easy to access. Consider leaving a copy of important documents with someone you trust. If you do decide to leave, you can request that the police accompany you back to your house to retrieve your personal possessions. Do not put your safety at risk to retrieve property or possessions.

 

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