Steps for Domestic Violence Safety Plan Before Separation
Immediately change all computer and online account passwords. Install security features in your home. If the perpetrator has ever had a key to your home, change the locks on all doors. Tell neighbors that the perpetrator does not live in your home and ask them to call the Police if they see the perpetrator nearby. Protect personal information including address, employer, and children’s schools. Notify the children’s schools or daycare about the situation. Change your routine: shop, bank, and conduct business at places you did not visit with the perpetrator. Keep diaries, journals, personal letters, and calendars in a safe place outside of the home. If you have a restraining order, keep copies in several places, including your vehicle, handbag, and house. Give copies to close family and friends. Keep money, a spare set of keys, and a “go bag” somewhere safe or at a trusted friend or family member’s house, in case you need to leave quickly. Select a close friend or family member you can stay with in the event of an emergency. Avoid contact from the perpetrator, screen telephone calls, and avoid opening mail without a return address.
