Safety planning for you and your family

What is a safety plan?

A safety plan is a practical list or plan of the steps you can take to protect yourself and your kids if your partner is abusing you. It will help you stay safer if you decide to stay, or if you decide to leave.

It's a good idea to have a safety plan because it's very difficult to think clearly when you're afraid. Getting information and making some planning decisions before a crisis can keep you safe during a crisis.

Your plan will be detailed, and it will cover:

  • emergency services in your area, like transition houses
  • how you can get help when you need it
  • how you can protect yourself at home
  • how you can protect yourself if you decide to leave
  • how you can protect your kids

Once you've made your safety plan, talk to your kids about how to stay safe.

VictimLinkBC can help you make a safety plan that works for your situation.

They'll connect you to people in your area who can help. VictimLinkBC is a toll-free, confidential, and multilingual crisis support line available throughout BC. They are trained victim service workers, and can connect you to the support and services you need.

A couple discusses how a neighbour needs to make a safety plan before she leaves her abusive partner in our illustrated story, Focus on safety.

Illustration to introduce story
Legally reviewed in February 2023
Safety plans

Ending Violence Association of BC has more information about safety planning and how to make an emergency escape plan.

The publication Live Safe, End Abuse explains what abuse is, and how you can protect yourself and your kids. You can download it as a PDF or order it for free if it's safe for you to get mail. Or you could have it sent to a trusted friend.

Get more help

If you're in danger, call 911.

If you're not in immediate danger, call VictimLinkBC at 1-800-563-0808.

VictimLinkBC is a toll-free, confidential, multilingual crisis support line available throughout BC. It provides immediate crisis support to victims of family and sexual violence.

You can also call the Battered Women's Support Service crisis line at 1-855-687-1868.

Updated on 28 February 2023