Safety When Preparing to Leave

1. Open a savings account and/or credit card in your own name to start to establish or increase your independence.

2. Leave money, an extra set of keys, copies of important documents, extra medicines and clothes with someone you trust so you can leave quickly.

3. Determine who would be able to let you stay with them or lend you money.

4. Keep the shelter or hotline phone number close at hand and keep some change or a calling card on you at all times for emergency phone calls.

5. Review your safety plan as often as possible in order to plan the safest way to leave your batterer. REMEMBER LEAVING YOUR BATTERER IS THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME.