This safety plan guide contains suggestions and options that can be useful to increase your safety. Always remember that you are the expert of your life and are in the best position to determine what may be effective for you in your circumstances.
Safety planning involves looking at your experiences and circumstances, and options to help you feel and be safer. It’s important that your safety plan connects to your individual circumstances, and it needs to adapt to suit you if things change. Safety plans also recognise the many steps that you have already taken to support your own safety.
It is also important to acknowledge, the use of violence is a choice and people who are violent in their relationships always have a choice about their behaviour, therefore the responsibility to change their behaviour and stop using violence sits with them.
It’s important to remember that family violence impacts emotional safety as well as physical safety. Think about what might support your emotional wellbeing, and how to look after yourself if you’re feeling overwhelmed – there are services to help you at any time. If you are feeling like you might harm yourself or others, seek medical/social support immediately via your doctor, 000, local hospital, mental health service, trusted friend or family member and/or telephone support line.
Our website has other planning options and formats available for you to look at and consider: www.fvree.org.au. Remember, we are here to support you through this process.