Safety Planning
If you are in an abusive relationship, it is important to develop a safety plan. A Turningpoint advocate is available to help you develop a plan that is appropriate for your situation.
Call our 24-hour crisis line at 1-800-345-5104 to talk with an advocate or to schedule an in-person appointment.
24-Hour Crisis Line: 1-800-345-5104
Local: 715-425-6751
TEXT Hotline: 715-821-8626
Here for some considerations when developing your personal safety plan.
If you are ready to leave an abusive relationship; first, plan for your safety:
Pack a bag of important items to bring with you, including:
- Birth certificates for you and your children
- Social Security cards for you and your children
- Driver’s license and other forms of ID
- Health insurance cards and medications
- Checkbooks, credit cards, financial documents, and cash
- Car keys and house/apartment keys
- Deed or lease to your house or apartment
- Any legal documents, including restraining orders, custody orders, immigration papers, etc
- Photos or mementos
- Children’s favorite toys
If you choose to stay:
- Pack a bag with important things you’d need if you had to leave quickly; put it in a safe place or give it to a friend or relative you trust
- Keep a cell phone with you at all times (Turningpoint can provide emergency cell phones)
- Plan an escape route out of your home; teach it to your children
- Ask your neighbors to call the police if they notice anything strange; make a signal for them to call the police, such as if a particular light is on or shade is pulled down
- Document injuries and save emails, phone calls, and text messages
- Open a bank account or credit card in your own name or have money stored in a secret place. Make sure your accounts have passwords that your abuser can’t guess
- Understand that domestic violence tends to get worse over time and usually requires intervention for an abuser to change his or her behavior
