A personal plan for staying safer

Identify safer areas of your home — away from kitchens, bathrooms, or rooms with weapons or hard surfaces.

Memorize important phone numbers (911, hotline, a trusted friend). Keep a written copy hidden in a safe place.

Pack a go-bag: ID, cash, medication, a change of clothes, a charged phone, and any children's essentials. Hide it with a trusted neighbor or in your car.

Create a code word with a trusted person so you can signal you need help.

Practice how you would leave quickly — which door, which route, where you would go.

Open a bank account in your name only. Have statements sent to a P.O. box or a trusted address.

Make copies of important documents: birth certificates, Social Security cards, immigration papers, insurance cards, custody or court orders.

Save cash gradually — even small amounts add up.

Talk with a domestic violence advocate before you leave. They can help you plan the safest exit and connect you with shelter.

Change passwords on email, banking, and social media using a device your partner has never touched.

Get a new phone number, or block your partner on every device and platform.

Change locks. Ask a locksmith about window locks and door reinforcement.

Ask about an Address Confidentiality Program in your state — it lets survivors use a substitute address on public records.

File for a protective order if it's safe to do so. WomensLaw.org has state-by-state instructions.

Tell schools, workplaces, and childcare providers who is and isn't allowed to pick up children.

Consider therapy specifically trained in trauma — many state victim compensation funds will pay for it.

Leaving is a process, not an event. It often takes several attempts. That's not failure — it's normal.

Give yourself permission to grieve the relationship, even the good parts.

Reconnect gradually with people who make you feel safe.

Reach out to a trauma-informed therapist or support group. You do not have to explain yourself.