During an Incident

The following information is from the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence:

This safety plan is for domestic violence victims of any age who may be abused by, or afraid of their spouse or partner, boyfriend or girlfriend, adult child or their family member. Safety planning helps develop tools in advance of potentially dangerous situations. Choose only the suggestions listed here that make sense for your set of circumstances.

Safety During an Explosive Incident

Go to an area that has an exit. Not a bathroom (near hard surfaces), kitchen (knives), or near weapons

Stay in a room with a phone. Call 911, a friend or a neighbor, if possible. Inform them if there are weapons in the home.

Know your escape route. Practice how to get out of your home safely. Visualize your escape route.

Have a packed bag ready. Keep it hidden in a handy place in order to eave quickly, or leave the bag elsewhere if your abuser searches your home.

Devise a code word or signal. Tell your child/ren, grandchildren or neighbors so you can communicate to them that you need the police.

Know where you’re going. Plan where you will go if you have to leave home, even if you don’t think you’ll need to.

Trust your judgment. Consider anything that you feel will keep you safe and give you time to figure out what to do next. Sometimes it is best to flee and sometimes it is best to placate the abuser – anything that works to protect yourself and the children.