October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Safe Place 24 Hour Hotline: 512.267.SAFE (7233) – for Deaf/HH/Deaf-Blind community, please use relay/VRS.

For my children, I will:
*Tell their school and/or Day Care who is
allowed to pick them up
* Copy my custody papers and my Order of Protection and leave a copy with some one in charge at school and/or Day Care
* Practice our escape plan
* Teach them to remain calm in a crisis situation
and how to call the police
*Limit my children’s knowledge of hiding places and details to prevent them from accidentally telling the abuser

I know that:
* The safety of myself and my children comes
before anything else
* The abuse is not my fault
* I do NOT deserve to be abused
* Through the support of community agencies, friends and family, I can help end the abuse

I have made my home as safe as possible by:
* Changing locks and adding deadbolts
* Hiding sharp objects and weapons
* Making telephones accessible

I have planned and rehearsed an escape route for me and my children by:
* Deciding where we will go in an emergency
* Showing the children what to do if the Batterer breaks in, or comes to their school or day care
* Teaching the children to call the police and safe relatives

I have packed an emergency bag and hidden it. My emergency bag includes:
* Money; cash and change for phone calls
* Clothing for me and my children
* Personal care products like diapers, medicine
* Copies of Court Documents such as my Order of Protection, divorce decree, and custody papers
* Important Documents such as birth certificates, medical records, bank records, insurance, etc…
* Extra keys to the car and house/apartment
* Telephone and address books with shelter and counselors numbers, safe friends and relatives
* My notebook or diary

I have explained my situation, and developed code words and phrases for _______to call police. I have shown them pictures of the abuser and his/her vehicle:
* Children
* Relatives
* Neighbors
* Co-Workers
* Friends
* Children’s School
* Children’s Day Care

I will call the police if the batterer:
* Contacts me
* Threatens me
* Follows me
* Calls me
* Has someone else follow me

I will keep accurate records & photos of events in a notebook or diary of dates and times of:
* Conversations
* Episodes of violence
* Attempts at contact, answering machine tapes/voice mail recordings, photos of caller ID displays

I will get a safe place to hide:
* My emergency bag
* Copies of all important papers
* Extra Money
* Evidence, such as photos and notebook
* Extra sets of keys
* Photos of injuries, damage, Caller ID displays
* Answering machine tapes of calls and threatening messages

I will:
* Practice my escape plan with my children
* Be aware of my surroundings
* Be prepared and alert when walking to and from my car and home
* Stay calm in a panic situation
* Locate police stations and safe places, know where to go if someone is following me
* Keep plenty of gas in my car
* Always put my keys, cel phone and purse/wallet in the same place so I know right where they are in a crisis
* Carefully consider which people will help me in a crisis
* Use my judgment and intuition. I will protect myself and my children, until we are out of danger then I will get help

** When I feel down and ready to return to an abusive situation, I will call ____________ for support**