Day to Day Plan
In this section there are ideas that some women have found helpful to protect their safety on a daily basis when living with their abuser and when they have left their abuser.
If you are living or dating an abusive partner or have left an abusive relationship, you are probably doing many things on a daily basis to keep yourself and/or your children as safe as possible. Each person’s situation is unique, and you will know best whether these ideas will help you in your situation.
IMPORTANT: The danger increases for many women once they decide to leave their abusive relationship. Many women keep their safety plan secret and only tell people they absolutely trust.
At Home – some women have done the following if they are living with their abuser:
- Called the Family Violence Helpline counsellors to talk over their safety plan.
- Set up an Emergency Escape Plan.
- Set up a Children’s Safety Plan if they have children / teens.
- Made arrangements to stay with trusted friends or family just in case.
- Hid the phone numbers they called by dialing another number to prevent their abuser from pushing redial.
- Using a payphone instead of their cell phone so he couldn’t check the call history.
At Home – some women have done the following if they are not living with their abuser:
- Called the Family Violence Helpline counsellors to talk over their safety plan.
- Change the locks, install peepholes.
- Put away knives and potential weapons.
- Speak to security at their apartment building.
- Speak to neighbours.
- Purchase rope ladders to escape from upper floors.
- Install an outdoor lighting system that lights up when someone approaches your home.
- Add additional security (extra locks, bars, more secure doors, etc.).
- Teach their children to alert them when someone is at the door without opening it.
- Un-list their phone number and address.
- Have their number blocked when calling out.
