What is a good safety plan?
A good safety plan lays out ways to stay safe in all areas of your life. For example, at home, at work, online, and in public. Here are some things to consider when making a safety plan.
Stay safe before you leave
Before you leave, you should:
- tell people you trust about the abuse
- ask neighbours or friends to call the police if they hear fighting or loud noises, or if they see anything suspicious
- call a counselling agency, crisis helpline, women’s shelter, or Family Court Support Worker to talk about what is happening and how to leave safely
- learn the telephone number of a local shelter
- be prepared to call 911 or the police if you or your children are in danger or hurt
Create a safe escape plan
Think of a place you can go to, where you will be safe, or where your partner will not know to look for you, such as:
- a friend’s or relative’s place
- a shelter or hostel
- another town or city, but if you and your partner have children, you should not go very far, or they can claim that you took your children away from them
Before you go, try to:
- put some money away in a safe place, a little at a time
- store important documents, or copies of important documents, somewhere safe, for example, photo identification, your passport, children’s birth certificates, health cards, and banking information
- keep an emergency suitcase packed and in a safe place, for example, at a friend’s house
- keep a diary and write down the abusive incidents with dates, details of what happened, and any witnesses
- keep any evidence of the physical abuse, such as photos or doctor or hospital reports
- keep your diary and evidence somewhere your abuser and children cannot find it
- get legal advice about your situation
What to take with you
When you leave, try to take these things with you:
- clothes for a few days, for you and your children
- your children’s favourite toys or blankets
- things like toothpaste, diapers, and soap
- money and keys
- any medication you or your children need
You should also take these documents with you:
- identification, including birth certificates, health cards, passports, immigration documents, your driver’s licence, and credit cards
- any documents from family or criminal court, such as bail conditions, a restraining order, or a court order about decision-making responsibility and parenting time
- other documents, such as the deed for your house or lease for your apartment, pay stubs, income assistance cheque stubs, your Social Insurance card, and marriage certificate
- any proof of the abuse, such as photos, threatening notes, recorded telephone messages, doctor or hospital reports, or your diary
- names and badge numbers of police officers you have called in the past
Luke’s Place has more information about preparing to leave home. See familycourtandbeyond.ca/keep-safe/leaving-home.
Safety plan resources
Some staff at social services agencies, such as transitional support and housing workers, are trained to help women make safety plans. Counselling agencies and crisis helplines can also help.
Part 10 lists legal and community resources for women who have been abused.
For a sample safety plan, see the CLEO resource My Safety Plan at cleo.on.ca/en/safetyplan.
The Peel Committee Against Woman Abuse also has a safety planning guide at pcawa.net/safety-planningguide.html available in English and other languages.
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