Safety planning
Safety planning when home feels unsafe
A safety plan is a personalized set of practical steps you can take to protect yourself and your children when abuse is present. It is not a one-time document. It changes as your situation changes, and it works best when developed with a trained advocate who understands the specific risks you face.
Prints a clean copy you can carry with you. A printed sheet can be found by someone else — store it safely.
Key contacts
- Emergency: 911
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 — text START to 88788
- Childhelp: 1-800-422-4453 — text GO to 1-800-422-4453
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988
Luke's Light — lukeslight.org
In immediate danger, call 911 when it is safe to do so. Choosing any button on this site does not dispatch help or file a report.
While no plan can guarantee safety, thinking through options ahead of time can reduce harm and help you act quickly if tensions rise or danger escalates. A safety plan is about preparation, not prediction. It does not label anyone or determine what will happen. It simply gives you a framework for responding to a situation that feels unpredictable.
What a safety plan can include
A safety plan may cover several areas of daily life. It can identify safe rooms in your home — spaces with exits and no weapons, where you can go if an argument starts. It can outline how to leave quickly, where to go, and who to contact. It may list items to keep ready: identification, medication, cash, keys, and important documents stored somewhere accessible.
Digital safety is part of planning too. Phones, computers, and browsing history can be monitored by someone who wants to control you. A plan can include using a device the other person does not have access to, clearing browsing history, and being cautious about what is shared through apps or messages.
If children are in the home, their safety and emotional well-being are part of the plan. Children should not be given responsibility for adult safety decisions, but they can know a trusted adult to contact and a safe place to go if they feel afraid.
Talking to a professional
Safety planning works best with someone trained to help. Advocates at the National Domestic Violence Hotline, Childhelp, and local organizations can help you think through options without judgment. They will not force you to leave, file a report, or take any action you are not ready for. The decisions are yours.
You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out. A single phone call or text can be the first step.
If you are in immediate danger
If someone may be seriously hurt right now, call 911 when it is safe to do so. Choosing any button on this site does not dispatch help or file a report.