322 Violence Against Women
What to Do
➤ Think about these
things even if you do
not think the violence
will ever happen
again.
Find someone you
trust who can help
you sort out your
feelings and think
about your choices.
Do you have skills
that you can use to
earn extra money?
Make a safety plan
A woman does not have control over her par tner’s violence,
but she does have choices about the way she responds to him.
She can also try to plan ahead how she can get herself and her
children to safety until the man stops being violent.
Safety before the violence happens again
• Tell someone nearby about the violence. Ask that person
to come or to get help if the person hears that you are in
trouble. Perhaps a neighbor, male relative, or a group of
women or men can come before you are seriously hurt.
• Think of a special word or signal that will tell your children or
someone else in your family to get help.
• Teach your children how to get to a safe place.
Safety during the violence
• If you can tell that he is going to become violent, try to have
it happen where there are no weapons or objects that he can
use to harm you, and where you can get away.
• Use your best judgement. Do whatever you need to do to
calm him down so that you and your children are safe.
• If you need to get away from him, think about how you can
escape. Where is the safest place to go?
Safety when a woman gets ready to leave
• Save money any way that you can. Put money in a safe place
(away from the house) or open a bank account in your own
name so you can become more independent.
• If you can do so safely, think of other things you can do to
become less dependent on him, such as making friends,
joining a group, or spending more time with your family.
• See if there are ‘safe houses’ or other services for women
who have been abused. These are special places in some
towns and cities where abused women and their children can
stay for a while. Try to find out before you leave if there is
one that you can get to.
• Ask friends or relatives you trust if they would let you stay
with them or lend you money. Be sure they will not tell your
partner that you asked.
• Get copies of impor tant documents, such as your
identification or your children’s vaccination records. Keep a
copy at home and give a copy to someone you trust.
• Leave money, copies of your documents, and extra clothes
with someone you trust so that you can leave quickly.
• If you can do it safely, practice your escape plan with your
children to see if it would work. Make sure the children will
not tell anyone.
Where Women Have No Doctor 2012