PLAN FOR YOUR SAFETY

Escaping a toxic or violent situation is never easy, never your fault – and never impossible. We are here to help you ensure that all precautions are taken to ensure your safety.

Safety plans aims to optimize survivor safety at every stage.

When leaving a dangerous situation or toxic and violent relationship, the risk to the safety of the survivor is higher as the aggressor or abuser in this context will attempt to keep the survivor under their thumb. However, it is NOT impossible to leave the situation if one plans for safety ahead of time. Many survivors have survived this process.

Recognizing that survivors of violence understand their situation best, the steps recommended here may or may not be useful to everyone but it can be adapted to suit your unique circumstances.

Contact us at telenita@awam.org.my to come up with a safety plan.

Here are some key things to look out for:

    • Plan ahead
    • Identify safe friends and safe places
    • Identify the essential items to take should one need or decide to leave home
    • Include information about local domestic violence resources and legal rights
    • Build on what a survivor you know is already doing to survive

Benefits of Using Risk Assessments

  • Helps in developing realistic and meaningful safety plans
  • Helps survivors in reviewing the effectiveness of strategies employed
  • Assists NGO’s and other service providers in sussing out the most vulnerable survivors
  • It also assists in helping perpetrators of domestic violence in receiving help

 

CALENDAR METHOD

Using a calendar, please mark the approximate dates in the past year when you were abused by your partner or ex-partner. Write on that date how bad the incident was according to the following scale:

1. Slapping, pushing; no injuries and/or lasting pain

2. Punching, kicking; bruises, cuts, and/or continuing pain

3. “Beating up”; severe contusions, burns, broken bones

4. Threat to use weapon; head injury, internal injury, permanent injury

5. Use of weapon; wounds from weapon

Pay attention to the number of times the event scored a number, and how close together is one incident from another. This will assist you in understanding the severity of the violence and the risks to your personal safey.

(Source: dangerassessment.org)

 

At work, you may want to:

  • Save any threatening emails or voicemail messages.
    You can use these to take legal action in the future, if you choose to. If you already have a restraining order, the messages can serve as evidence in court that the order was violated.

     

  • Park close to the entrance of your building, and talk with security, the police, or a manager if you fear an assault at work.

     

  • Screen your calls.
    Ttransfer harassing calls to security, or remove your name and number from automated phone directories.
  • Obtain a Protection Order (PO)
    and make sure that it is current and a copy is on hand at all times. Include the workplace on the order. A copy should be provided to the nearby police station, the employee’s supervisor, Human Resources department, the reception area, and security to ensure that all necessary precautions are taken.
  • Provide a picture of the perpetrator to reception areas and/or Security.
  • Identify an emergency contact person should the employer be unable to contact you.
  • Ask Security to escort you to and from your car or public transportation.
  • Look into alternate hours or work locations.
  • Review the safety of your childcare arrangements
    Is there on-site childcare available at the company or off-site elsewhere? If you have a protection order, a legal plea can be made to extend the protection to the childcare center.

Your safety must always come first. You cannot stop the abuse but you can take all measures to ensure your safety.

Sources:
http://stoprelationshipabuse.org/help/develop-a-safety-plan/
https://www.dangerassessment.org/uploads/pdf/DAEnglish2010.pdf
https://www.bwjp.org/our-work/topics/risk-assessment.html