Knowing what to do when you or someone you know experiences domestic violence is difficult, especially when fear plays a part in how you react. However, understanding how to increase domestic violence safety by following simple tips can reduce anguish. These tips also decrease risk by giving you simple ways to remove yourself from harm. Plus, they let you plan in advance so you can move forward and aim to live fear-free. Let’s look at these tips now.
It’s impossible to know when another person could put you at risk as thought, responses and behaviour are often spontaneous, along with situations. Given that you cannot predict when you’ll need to protect yourself from domestic violence often the best way to reduce your risk is to have a plan in place. Your plan should consist of a step-by-step process or a series of tips that let’s you act quickly to remove yourself from harm.
How To Increase Domestic Violence Safety Tip #1 Take Out A Protection Order
Companies such as Sitkoff & Hanrahan, LLP can help you with protection orders should you need them. Protection orders are a legal document that set out terms between you and the party putting you at risk. If these terms are breeched law enforcement can protect you.
Tip #2 Have An Emergency Bag
Have an emergency bag packed and ready to go. Put essential items such as money, underwear, a change of clothes and toileteries in your bag. Next hide your bag so it is difficult to detect. If you’re concerned hidding a bag at home will escalate the problem because you’re living with someone putting you at risk, then opt to leave your bag at work or with friends or family.
How To Increase Domestic Violence Safety Tip #3 Talk To Others
It’s important for you to talk to friends and family about your situation. This approach let’s you share your concern and helps you to work out how to find a solution that works for you. Living in fear and keeping it bottled-up can lead to dark thoughts, especially if you feel their is no escape. Establishing a safety plan for you is essential in this situation.
Tip #4 Share Information
If you have a protection order in place make sure that your employer and somebody outside your family has a copy. Keep and share all text messages, voicemails, letters and other information the person putting you at risk has sent. Share images of this person with others so they know what they look like. This tactic gives you additional support and prevents others from mistakenly putting you in unsafe situations.
How To Increase Domestic Violence Safety Tip #5 Keep Important Documents Safe
Place your passport and your birth difficult somewhere safe. You can speak to a bank about the safety deposit box or you ask to use a safe at a secure location such as work or at the home of a friend or family member. Concealing your documents in a place that is inaccessible to the person putting you at risk increases your safety.
Tip #6 Have A Backup Plan
When you’re in a situation that puts you at risk have a backup plan that lets you know what to do and when. If you’re not sure how to create a backup plan there are services that can help.
How To Increase Domestic Violence Safety Key Takeaways
Being as safe as possible reduces your risk and exposure to of harmful situations. While these tips help to decrease your risk, they are just some resourceful measures you can take. There are many support networks worldwide that assist anyone facing domestic violence. These networks provide added security and enable you to feel safer.
Just to recap, how to increase domestic violence safety includes:
- Taking out a protection order – a protection order makes law enforcement aware of the risk another person possess to your safety and it allows them to react when the terms of that order are breached.
- Having an emergency bag – packing essential items and leaving them somewhere safe gives you an opportunity to leave quickly.
- Talking to others – let others know about your situation to protect your mental and physical health.
- Sharing information – working with an interior designer gives you a greater sense of achievement. By collaborating, you can develop and expand on your initial ideas to make your concepts come alive.
- Keeping important documents safe – use a safe deposit box or another method to protect your identification such as a passport and birth certificate.
- Having a backup plan – work out a safety plan well in advance so that when you’re put in an unsafe position you can react automatically and effectively to reduce any risk.
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