A Safety Plan is a plan for a victim in the event that he or she decided to leave the abuser quickly. Sometimes the victim may have little warning of an opportunity to do so and need to act quickly, or may decide at once that his or her life is in danger and they need to escape immediately. Safety plans can be elaborate or simple, and include some of the following:
- a specific plan for how to get out of the home (a window, a door, a fire escape…)
- two packed bags, each with needed things like
- a set of keys to the home, car, and workplace
- money
- clothes
- toiletries
- copies of pay stubs, bills, and other financial documents
- a green card, visa, or other immigration papers if applicable
- identification such as a driver's license or passport
- phone numbers for friends, police, and a shelter or agency that can help
- the victim's social security card
- a set of checks or an ATM card to get access to money, and a copy of a monthly checking account statement
- any legal documents like an order of protection or restraining order
- medical records
- one bag is hidden somewhere the batterer is unlikely to find, and the other is saved by a friend in case the victim has to leave with no warning
- if there are children, two similar bags packed for them, one with a favored toy or stuffed animal, and one is stored where the batterer is unlikely to find it, and the other is saved by a friend
- if there are children, a copy of birth certificates and school records
- any medications or copies of needed prescriptions
- a neighbor who will "watch out" for anything suspicious in the home
- a family member or friend who will respond a given way (for example, by calling the police) when the victim uses a preset "catch phrase" (for example, "What ever happened with your aunt's divorce?")
- two places to go in the event the victim has to leave immediately
- a plan once a week to review the safety plan so it is deeply ingrained in the victim's memory