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You can download a copy of a safety planning booklet here: Download (144kb PDF)
If you are at risk of being assaulted, or have been assaulted, you should contact Police on 131 444 or 000 (for life threatening emergencies). You do not need to call your local Police station as calls to 131 444 or 000 will be dispatched just as quickly to the local area.
If you anticipate an incident, try to move to a space that is lowest risk to escape an injury (that is not the bathroom, kitchen or rooms without access to outside door)
Tell neighbours about the violence and ask them to call police if they hear suspicious noises coming from the home.
Use a code word with the children or friends so that they know that you want them to call for help.
Teach your children their name and full address and how to use the telephone to contact the police and say "someone is hurting my mum/dad/brother/sister".
Teach your children where to go in the house during a violent incident, how to get out of the house and where to go if they leave the house if someone is being hurt.
Decide how you will leave the house and where you will go to if there is an incident of violence.
Keep your purse and car keys in a place you can easily find them if you need to leave quickly.
Leaving is best done with a bit of planning because this can assist in making it safer for you. Many people who use violence are often more controlling, abusive and dangerous when they think you may leave them or after you have left them. When planning to leave, consider some or all of the following:
- Leave money and a set of extra keys with a person you trust so that you can leave quickly
- If possible, make copies of important documents like birth/ marriage certificates, insurance papers, passports and precious photos or make sure they are safe. Consider leaving them with a trusted person.
- If you can afford to, open your own bank account that nobody knows about. Try to put money into it to increase your independence. Make sure statements are sent to a safe address.
- Think about getting legal advice from a solicitor who understands these issues.
- Think about who you could stay with in an emergency/ and or borrow some money from.
- Contact DVCS or a refuge and talk to them about ideas for accommodation if you have to leave.
- Leave extra clothes with a friend.
- Rehearse your escape plan for yourself and with your children if this feels appropriate.
- Contact the Domestic Violence Crisis Service on 62 800 900
- Keep change for phone calls on you at all times or remember in an emergency you can always ring for assistance reverse charge
- Review your safety plan regularly
- Arrange to see friends or join an activity group to increase your support network.
Refuges provide safe accommodation for people escaping domestic violence in their home. They are operated by various community based and church organisations. However, it can be difficult to access refuge accommodation as they are often full so you will need to check availability. DVCS can assist you with this and if there is no space available they will discuss alternative options with you.
In the ACT, there are a number of separate refuges for single women, women with children, single men and men with children. There are also refuges in Queanbeyan and surrounding regions that provide emergency accommodation.
The location of refuges is kept confidential to ensure the safety of the people accessing them. Accommodation varies from communal living houses, to self contained units.
Support offered to residents usually includes accommodation, referral services, advocacy, emotional support and other practical supports.
You should bring your personal paperwork such as identification, any medication or prescriptions, toiletries and clothing for yourself and your children.
Pets cannot be accommodated in refuges; however DVCS may be able to assist with temporary boarding of animals in emergency situations.
Link to “CONTACTS – Emergency accommodation numbers” here
Some ideas to promote safety are:
- Change the locks on doors and windows as soon as possible.
- Install security systems including additional locks, window bars, window locks, an electronic alarm system and a security chain on the front door.
- Install smoke detectors and purchase fire extinguishers for your home.
- Install a motion sensitive lighting system outside that lights up when a person is coming close to your home.
- Get an answering machine to screen your calls and report abusive calls to the telephone company and the police.
- Buy a mobile phone.
- Call Police if you see the person who has abused you near your home or if they threaten you or communicate with you in any other way.
- Ask a neighbour to call Police if they see the person who has abused you or their vehicle near your home.
- Teach your children how to use the telephone to call Police or a trusted person if in danger, or to call you if they are abducted.
- Inform all the people who provide care for the children, who has permission to pick them up and who does not.
Affordable security options
- Putting wood dowel in windows so they can’t slide open
- Buying sensor lights that plug into existing light fittings
- Putting a chain and padlock around gates
- Placing slide bolts on man hole so it can’t be accessed via the roof
This new website, www.dvandwork.unsw.edu.au, has been launched by the "Safe at Home, Safe at Work" Project funded by DEEWR to promote the introduction of domestic violence clauses in industrial instruments.
The web site is designed for:
- Workers experiencing domestic violence: what you need to know.
- Unions looking to negotiate domestic violence clauses: tips to negotiating domestic violence clauses, key facts, messages to members.
- Employers looking for information about domestic violence in the workplace and what to do about it: facts, definitions, how to plan policies and safety measures.
- Anyone interested in learning more about why domestic violence is a workplace issue.
Available resources include:
- Training for implementing clauses and support (by the beginning of 2012 three e-learning modules).
- Research (the domestic violence and work survey)
- Law reform (submission on domestic violence and Commonwealth employment law and soon domestic violence as a ground of discrimination)
Protection orders are restrictions placed by the court on a person’s movement and actions. Some people who use violence do obey protection orders, but it is difficult to be sure who will or will not obey the conditions of the order. If an order is breached it will need to be enforced by police and the courts. If you want to talk to the other person, then you may also be in danger of breaching the order. If you feel you need to do this, then talk to your support people first.
The following are some steps that can help the enforcement of a protection order:
Keep your protection order on you or near you at all times. Make a copy of the order and keep it in a safe place.
Tell your employer, friends and neighbours that you have the protection order.
Keep a record or diary of any phone calls or actions by the person using the abusive behaviour.
Link to “Going to Court”.
