Safety Planning

Safety Planning

Safety planning is an ongoing process. You may need to reconsider it daily, weekly, or hourly depending upon your specific situation.

• Be prepared. Keep on hand: cash, change, pen, paper, cell phone and charger, and emergency numbers at all times.
• Look for patterns and possible triggers in what you have written down as opportunities to protect yourself.
  • Anniversaries of emotional events
  • Times when you are safest: (i.e. when stalker is at work)
• Understand protection orders
  • Keep a copy with you at all times
  • Initially, they are temporary
  • They are not bullet proof
  • It may aggravate a stalker and escalate the situation
  • It may give law enforcement more to work with
    • Be aware of a stalker's access and training with weapons, even if it's only what they have told you.

Take Care of Yourself and Get Support

Know who you can trust and utilize your support system. This may change. Most people have a difficult time dealing with these situations appropriately and do not understand the level of danger it may represent.

• Consider reporting to law enforcement. It is easier for them to see the pattern if there is an ongoing paper trail. A specific incident may only rise to the level of an informational item in the system but the pattern of conduct begins to emerge after time.
• Be careful of common friends who may sympathize with the stalker.
• Be careful not to share too much information with groups you may be affiliated with (i.e., churches, clubs, employer). Speak to those who can help you keep an eye out for the stalker without gossiping.
• Can you trust your neighbors to keep an eye out for you? Let them know what it may look like when something is wrong, or when everything is okay.
• Check in with loved ones regularly. Let them know that if they don't hear from you at certain times to contact authorities.