Keeping you and your children safe is of the utmost priority when you are considering leaving a violent relationship or environment. Ensuring you have a safety plan in place will help minimise your risk of harm. The infographic and the information below may help you or someone you love.

Download this infographic here

Some things ​to think about 
​before leaving an abusive relationship

Planning a safe exit from an abusive relationship is a necessary and important step before breaking the ties with your partner. These suggestions may improve your chances of leaving safely:

• Let a trusted family member, friend, coworker or neighbour know your situation.
• Develop a plan for when you need help like code words you can text if you're in trouble or a visual signal like a porch light [on equals no danger, off equals trouble].
• If you are injured, go to a doctor or an emergency room and report what happened to you.
  Ask that they document your visit.
• Keep a journal of all violent incidences, noting dates, events and threats made.
• Keep evidence of physical abuse such as photos.
• Plan with your children and identify a safe place for them. Reassure them that their job is to stay safe, not to protect you.
• If you need to sneak away, be prepared: make a plan for how and where you will escape.
• Back your car into the driveway and keep it fueled.
  
• Keep the driver's door of your car unlocked and other doors locked for a quick escape.
• Hide an extra set of car keys.
• Set money aside.
  Ask friends or family members to hold some cash for you.
• Pack an escape bag. Include:
  * an extra set of keys
  * IDs including driver's licence, Medicare and Centrelink info
  ​* Court orders
  * car rego info
  * mortgage or rental documentation
  * birth certificates
  * passports
  * credit cards
  * banking information
  * marriage certificate
  * divorce certificate
• * shoes and clothes for yourself and your children
  * medications and prescriptions
  * glasses and prescriptions
  * cash 
  * children's school reports
  * children's immunisation records
  * insurance information 
  * valued photos, jewellery and personal possessions 
• Store your escape bag at a trusted friend's home but try to avoid using the home of your next-door neighbours, close family members and mutual friends as they will be the first people your perpetrator will probably approach.
• Take important phone numbers of friends, relatives, doctors, schools, etc.  
• Know your perpetrator's schedule and safe times to leave.
• Be careful when reaching out for help via the internet or telephone.
  Erase your internet browsing history, websites visited for resources, emails sent to friends/family asking for help.
  If you called for help, dial another number immediately after in case your perpetrator hits redial.
• Create a false trail: 
  Call motels, real estate agencies and schools in a city at least six hours away from where you plan to relocate.