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Safety Planning 

If you are in an abusive/violent relationship, we would encourage you to make contact with Your Sanctuary as soon as is practically possible where you can receive the help and information that you need.

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There are things that you can do to help make you and your children safer and this all comes down to Safety Planning.

Safety Tips 

1.Know where your phone is and keep it charged.

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2.If you have children, teach them how to call 999 and to provide their name and address.

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3.If possible, tell a neighbour about the violence and ask them to call the Police if they hear or see anything suspicious.

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4.If the situation is about to turn violent, try to get to a safe place - if possible, a room with a clear exit or more than one exit route. Try to avoid the kitchen, bathroom and garage where knives, guns, other weapons and hard surfaces may be used to harm you.

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5.Ultimately, try and leave the house or situation and raise the alarm.

 

6.If there is no way to escape the situation and violence occurs, make yourself into a small target. Get to a corner and curl into a ball protecting your face and head with your arms.

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7.If you are in a public place shout 'Fire', this cry for help gets a quicker response than any other.

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8.Keep a diary of incidents as they happen and keep it somewhere safe. This could be a physical diary or you could use an app on your phone. Please think carefully about your own safety when noting anything down. Although having a record of incidences can be really helpful, you don't want to put yourself at further risk of harm. 

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9.Pack an emergency bag for you and your children (see below for some ideas on what to pack) and hide it somewhere safe e.g. at a friend or neighbour's house.

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10.Rehearse an escape plan should you need to leave in an emergency. 

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Packing an Emergency Bag 

 

If you find yourself needing to leave in a hurry, here are some things you could take with you.

  • A form of identification

  • Birth certificates for you and your children

  • Passports for you and the children, visas and work permits.

  • Money, cheque book, credit and debit cards.

  • Keys for your house, car, and place of work (if applicable) (You could get an spare set of keys cut, and put them in your emergency bag ready)

  • Documents with details of any benefits you are claiming 

  • Driving licence (if you have one) or other photo ID documents

  • Essential medication for you or your children 

  • Copies of documents relating to your house (e.g. mortgage details or tenancy agreements).

  • National insurance number

  • Personal or sentimental items such as family photos, your diary, jewellery etc 

  • Clothing and essential toiletries

  • The children's favourite toys 

  • Any documents relating to the abuse – e.g. police report, crime reference numbers, medical records etc if you have them.

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