Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence: Applying Best Practice Guidelines

Safety Planning

Safety planning is an important intervention for the healthcare provider. The Safety Plan included in the Guidelines appears in Appendix D of this course.

Creating a Safety Plan

Those who are at risk of violence need to have a plan to respond to the abuse in a safe manner, often called a Safety Plan. The plan should list steps to take if a partner becomes violent or abusive. It should also include teaching children how to call 9-1-1 for help. Women who experience dating violence or other forms of abuse also need a safety plan (SAMHSA, 2003).

Safety During a Violent Incident

You don't have control over your partner's violent actions. However, you can control how you prepare for your safety and the safety of your children (SAMHSA, 2003).

• If you think an argument may become violent, stay out of rooms that may contain possible weapons. This would include the kitchen, bathroom, and garage. Try to go to a room with an exit.
• Practice getting out safely. Which doors, windows, stairwells, and elevators will you use?
• Keep your purse and car keys close by and always keep an extra car key hidden in a safe place.
• You may need to tell a neighbor to call the police if they hear suspicious noise coming from your home. This may be difficult for you to reveal, but it is a very important step. Have a code word that will alert them to call the police. Make sure your children also know the code word and how to call 9-1-1.

Safety If You Are Planning To Leave Some women decide that the best safety plan is to leave. Because the abuser often becomes more violent when he suspects his partner is leaving (it represents a loss of control), it is important to prepare carefully (SAMHSA, 2003).

• Leave money, an extra set of keys, an extra set of clothes, and copies of important papers (see list below) with someone you trust at least several days before you plan to leave.
• If you don't already have one, open a bank account in your name only.
• Determine who might be able to loan you money or give you a place to stay.
• Keep change for phone calls since credit cards or calling cards will show up on phone bills.

Checklist for Leaving an Abuser

The National Women's Health Information Center (USDHHS, 2005; SAMHSA, 2003) provides the following list of helpful items to get together when planning on leaving an abusive situation. Keep these items in a safe place until ready to leave, or if sudden departure is needed. If there are children in the home, take them. And take the pets too, if possible.

Safety In Your Own Residence

When you make the decision to end an abusive relationship and you plan to stay in your residence, you will need to take other precautions. You may need to obtain a protective order or peace order, both of which are court documents that provide relief to women who are experiencing abuse. Your local District court and/or local domestic violence agency can help you with this. All protective orders order an abuser to stop threatening or committing abuse. They also require an abuser to end all contact with the victim. However, a protective order does not guarantee your safety. In addition, there are other precautions you should take (SAMHSA, 2003):

• Change the locks on all doors and windows, and install or improve security to include better outside lighting.
• Purchase rope/chain ladders to permit escape from a second story window, if it becomes necessary.
• Talk to all childcare providers and schools about who has permission to pick up the children.
• Use your community domestic violence resources for legal advice.
• Cover the mailbox with brightly colored paper to make it easier for the police to find the house if you live in a rural area where only the mailbox can be seen from the street.
• Keep the protective or peace order with you at all times.
• Tell your neighbors or landlord that your partner no longer lives with you and ask them to call the police if they see him at your home.

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